The History of Oakley X-Metal
Oakley X-Metal is a line of sunglasses featuring a special titanium alloy frame created by Oakley since 1997. The series includes many different models, which are listed below. Each model also comes in various color finishes, such as X-Metal, Plasma, Polished, and Carbon. All parts of the same model can be used interchangeably.
Timeline of the OAKLEY X-METAL Series Release Years
1997 ROMEO 1.0
1998 MARS
1999 JULIET
1999 X-METAL XX
2001 PENNY
2004 ROMEO 2.0
2008 HALF-X
2009 X-SQUARED
Unfortunately, Oakley ceased production of the X-Metal series in 2012, so most frames on the market are secondhand.
Oakley X-Metal Models and Frames finish (frame color )
*All the blue text on this page is hyperlinked. Please click to view the images.
ROMEO 1 / 1997
The Romeo 1 is an early model of X-Metal with its most distinctive feature being the shape of the nose bridge, which resembles the shape of an X.
This model is quite famous because it was worn by Tom Cruise in the famous Hollywood movie, Mission Impossible, and it was also a favorite model of basketball superstar Michael Jordan.
The Romeo 1 MJ (Michael Jordan) model is limited and has only a 4-digit serial number
(most Romeo frames have a 6-digit serial number).
Lens height: 37mm
Lens width: 60mm
Tool of exchanging lens T6 screwdriver
*Later, ROMEO2 was released, so today it is referred to by adding the number as ROMEO1, but its original model name is "ROMEO".
MARS / 1998
MARS is also one of the most famous model due to Brad Pitt wore it in the Hollywood movie , Fight Club. Another attractive point of MARS is it has a round shape lens.
MARS LEATHER is a Michael Jordan model
Lens height 40mm
Lens width 43mm
Tool of exchanging lens C ring (and pliers)
JULIET / 1999
Juliet is a smash-hit model released by OAKLEY at the turn of the century.
Following the release of this model, X--Metal popularity skyrocketed.
Most JULIET models are a straight ear stem. Only POLISHED JULIET has a hammer stem.
It is worn by Eric・Bana in the movie「Black Hawk Down」
It is also famous because baseball super star ICHIRO wear it during his games, and JULIET ICHIRO has a special serial number.
Lens height 32mm
Lens width 54mm
Tool of exchanging lens T6 screwdriver
What is the difference between JULIET and XX ?
Special models of JULIET
X-Metal-XX / 1999
In the same year as Juliet, the X-METAL XX was released as another version of Juliet.
The shape of the frame is very similar, but the vertical width of the lenses is different.
Additionally, while most Juliets have straight stems (excluding Polished Juliet), all the X-METAL XX models come with hammer stems.
Lens height 38mm
Lens width 55mm
Tool of exchanging lens T6 Screwdriver
What is the difference between JULIET and XX ?
※ Oakley XX Twenty is also called XX, but it is a plastic model. Thus, our products are not compatible for XX Twenty.
24K
PENNY / 2001
PENNY has unique lens which is designed like cat eyes.
It is worn by Cyclops (James・Marden) in famous Hollywood movie the X-MEN.
Lens height 29mm
Lens width 53mm
Tool of exchanging lens T6 Screwdriver
ROMEO 2.0 / 2004
ROMEO 2.0 was released in 2004. It has a completely different design from ROMEO 1.0.
ROMEO 2.0 features a half-rim for the orbital, making it very lightweight.
You would feel comfortable wearing it for extended periods.
Lens height: 38mm
Lens width: 64mm
Tool for exchanging the lens: Hexagon Wrench
PLASMA
HALF-X / 2008
Released as the 7th installment in the X-Metal series,
the 'Half-X' features a half-rim design and spring hinges for a very comfortable wearing experience.
While it doesn't have a distinctive design, I believe it's the model that fits most naturally for everyday use, much like regular eyeglasses.
*Please note that in our store, we only offer parts for the HALF-X, specifically lenses.
X-SQUARED / 2009
X-SQUARED was released in 2009 after Oakley was acquired by Luxottica.
This is the final model of the X-Metal series.
It features a unique nose bridge design without the nose bridge pin; instead, it uses a nose screw, making it easy to adjust. Correspondingly, the rubber ear socks are shorter (55mm) compared to those on other X-Metal models (60mm).
Lens height: 35mm
Lens width: 58mm
Tool for lens replacement: T6 screwdriver
For nearly 15 years, the illustrious Oakley X-Metal series graced the market, boasting eight distinct models.
However, with the closure of the Oakley X-metal factory, the epic saga of X-Metal concludes, marking the end of an era in eyewear history.
LINEGEAR is currently working to ensure the continuation of X-Metal, preserving the magnificent history of X-Metal and preventing it from becoming a thing of the past.
Regarding the frame finish and frame color, there are four major finishes listed below:
 |
| Rough texture in dark gray |
 |
| Matte Silver |
 |
| Lustrous silver |
 |
| Matte black |
The ones described above are the major and popular colors of X-METAL. Additionally, there are rare colors such as TiO2, Copper, Polished Carbon, early Plasma, and prototypes, which may not be included here.
Rubber parts, lenses, and screws are the same for every model, even if the frame color is different.
For example, if your frame is Juliet, all the parts for Juliet have compatibility and can be attached to your frame.
*Since there are many other frame colors, we will not list them here.
However, if you would like to know more, please refer to the 'Serial Number list' link below.
Click here to check the Oakley X-Metal serial number list
Let's revive your X-Metal with LINEGEAR products!
We have nearly all the parts for X-Metal frames in our store as originally developed products.
By replacing lenses, rubber parts, screws, and more, your X-Metal frame can be rejuvenated countless times, allowing you to use it semi-permanently.
We also offer repair and frame refresh services, so please take your time to browse our website and make your selection.
You can even replace most parts by yourself if you have the tools. Please refer to the link below for instructions on how to replace each part.
How to Replace Each Parts - LINEGEAR (linegear-japan.com)
Please feel fee to contact us if you have no idea which parts you should purchase.
Thank you for reading to the end.
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We look forward to your continued support of LINEGEAR!