

UPDATE: Direct Sourcing Experiment | Arriving In Just A Few Days! 🚚
Originally I was 100% going to order from one of the trusted sellers here, everyone recommends them, they’re reliable, and it seemed like the safe, easy choice. But then I thought… wait a minute, I can literally do exactly what they do myself! Why pay all those huge markups when I can source directly, arrange every step, and cut out the middleman completely? That’s exactly why I decided to test this and order everything myself through 1688.
I ordered two pairs I wanted: CH Ambidixtrous Crystal and CH Deep II Sun, from the seller Beijing Tante Trading Co., LTD.
• CH Ambidixtrous: ¥180 ($25 / £20)
• CH Deep II Sun: ¥130 ($18 / £14)
• CH branded cases: ¥20 each ($3 / £2)
Ordering and sending straight from the frame seller directly to the lens manufacturer couldn’t be easier! I don’t speak or read Chinese at all, but once you get the hang of how 1688 works it’s totally straightforward. All I did was ask the lens supplier for their shipping address, put that address as the delivery address at checkout, and done. No complicated steps, no extra work, it’s so easy and anyone can do it once you know the simple process.
For lenses I went with Taizhou Hongnian Glasses Co., LTD (also found on 1688), who make both Zeiss and regular prescription lenses:
• Zeiss Diamond Cube Platinum Film (84.4% emissivity coating): ¥470 ($65 / £51)
• Photochromic Prescription Lenses: ¥190 ($26 / £21)
For reference, trusted sellers usually charge $150+ (£120+) just for Zeiss lenses alone, that’s more than double what I paid, before you even add frames! That massive difference is exactly why I wanted to try doing this myself. It’s so easy to do 😊
I’ve actually been speaking directly with the lens manufacturer too. I told them how much demand there is from people outside China. In the UK, EU, USA and everywhere else, and I’ve pushed them to set up an official WhatsApp account and start selling & shipping internationally directly to customers like us. I’m pushing this because it would be a total game changer. Then we’d be able to order premium lenses straight from the factory,. they will be here in just a few more days! 🤞
I’m honestly way more excited for these Zeiss lenses paired with these cheap CH frames than anything else I’ve ordered. On top of this first order, I’ve also picked up 4 MORE FRAMES from 2 other sellers I found on 1688, so I’ve got plenty of different pairs and suppliers to test and compare.
When they all arrive I will be posting my honest review complete with photos, quality checks, fit tests, close ups of the Zeiss laser markings, and every single detail, good or bad.