What does the “highest purity of quality” pursued by Four Nines truly mean? The standard is not defined by the completeness of the frame alone. Selecting the most suitable lenses, pairing them with the frame, and carefully fitting the glasses to each individual face ― quality, as Four Nines defines it, lies in refusing to compromise at any stage of this entire process.
What Four Nines Considers a “Good Pair of Glasses”
Glasses should be Fine Tools. Since its founding, Four Nines has remained true to this belief. According to Four Nines, a “good pair of glasses” is defined by three qualities: they are comfortable, durable, and easy to adjust.
Being “comfortable” is an essential requirement for anyone who needs glasses. Four Nines pursues a feeling of gently wrapping and supporting the head through frame shapes, proprietary mechanisms, and designs that make full use of material characteristics. Rather than simply “wearing” glasses, Four Nines expresses a level of comfort closer to “putting them on” — a sensation that feels natural and effortless.
Being “durable” does not simply mean being resistant to physical damage; it also means maintaining the best possible condition achieved immediately after fitting over a long period of time. Through proprietary mechanisms and the careful selection of optimal materials, Four Nines disperses the stresses generated during use, preventing frame distortion and loss of shape.
Being “easy to adjust” means that the glasses can be fine-tuned to achieve the optimal fit for each individual. Glasses can only be considered complete once they are adjusted to the wearer. With the belief that precise adjustability is one of the essential functions required of eyewear, Four Nines pursues frame designs that allow the best fit with minimal adjustments.
A Place for Dialogue — Why Boutiques Matter
In 1998, Four Nines opened its first directly managed store, the Four Nines GINZA Showroom & Shop, in Ginza.
At the time, it was considered unconventional for a manufacturer to open its own store, as long-established roles and distribution practices between manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers were firmly in place. However, Four Nines recognized the essential need for a space where the brand could directly communicate its philosophy, listen to customer feedback, and exchange information. The store served multiple purposes: as a showroom, retailers could see the full range of products, receive explanations, and ask questions; as a shop, customers could learn not only about the frames but also about Four Nines itself, and provide feedback on the actual wearing experience. In addition, insights gained through day-to-day sales could be fed back into product development. It was opened as a space for dialogue.
The reason for choosing Ginza was clear. When asked, “Which district attracts the finest brands?” the answer that immediately came to mind was Ginza. It was also a way for Four Nines to hold itself accountable, ensuring that its creations would meet the standards of such discerning eyes.
The following year, in 1999, Four Nines opened a separate floor dedicated solely to the services that had previously been integrated into the shop ― measurement, fitting, aftercare, consultation, and frame delivery ― under the name Four Nines Ginza Test & Delivery. By separating these services from the sales area, customers could visit freely for regular maintenance or ask questions and discuss even minor concerns, without hesitation.
Seeing customer reactions firsthand strengthened Four Nines’ confidence in its creations and became a driving force behind its evolution. Today, Four Nines operates 18 directly managed stores, known as Boutiques. Each Boutique is designed with care to convey the brand’s philosophy toward eyewear. For Four Nines, these stores are an important space for communicating that philosophy.
Sharing Philosophy — Co-Creating with Partner Retailer
Four Nines’ frames are carried not only by its Boutiques but also by eyewear retailers nationwide, which serve as authorized dealers.
Four Nines spends a great deal of time in dialogue with retailers that wish to carry its products. By showing them the frames firsthand and discussing the intentions behind their creation and the direction Four Nines seeks to take, both sides develop mutual understanding and share the same philosophy. This ensures that Four Nines’ vision can be conveyed to customers anywhere in the country, which is one of the brand’s greatest strengths.
When Four Nines began wholesale in 1995, it partnered with just seven retailers. Today, that network has grown to approximately 630 stores in Japan and around 700 overseas. These numbers reflect the many retailers that share and resonate with Four Nines’ philosophy.
Among them, 999.9 selected by, Four Nines’ specialty stores, carry only the Four Nines brand. There are 14 such stores, located in Tsukuba, Omiya, Nihonbashi, Kanazawa, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Okayama, Hofu, Matsuyama, and Fukuoka.
These stores are operated by retailers who are deeply rooted in their regions and well-versed in the characteristics of each city, serving as key hubs for communicating Four Nines’ brand in their respective areas.
Frame + Lenses = “Glasses” — The Role of the Comprehensive Processing Lab
Glasses are made up of two essential elements: frames and lenses. Without either, they cannot function as glasses. Four Nines applies the same level of care and attention not only to its frames but also to the process of combining them with lenses.
In the past, each store was equipped with its own lens-processing machines, and lenses were cut and fitted on-site. However, processing in the stores was time-consuming, and the quality could vary depending on the experience of the staff. While cutting and assembling lenses to fit frames can be done with sufficient training, Four Nines demands an even higher level of precision. To achieve this, it introduced a centralized processing system around 20 years ago.
The Comprehensive Processing Lab, Four Nines’ dedicated lens-processing section, handles all lens work for its Boutiques. Its staff are not only experts in Four Nines frames but also highly knowledgeable about the characteristics of various lenses. By working in a focused environment and drawing on an extensive accumulation of experience, the lab is able to maintain consistently high quality.
Four Nines Lenses — The Optimal Solution for Four Nines Frames
For Four Nines, which has always developed its frames independently, altering the shape of a frame to fit a lens was something to be avoided whenever possible. “The lens must match the shape of the frame.” This philosophy led to the creation of Four Nines Lenses.
Lens manufacturers embed their own principles and approaches into their products, and in the same way, Four Nines had a clear vision of the type of lens it wanted. That vision was centered on compatibility with its frames.
Four Nines frames are meticulously designed with precise front curves. Lenses, meanwhile, have vertical and horizontal curves that vary depending on prescription and lens type. Trying to fit a lens that does not match the curve of the frame can require bending the frame to match the lens, flattening it, or forcing the lens into the frame. As a result, not only frame design but also the lens quality can be affected, potentially altering the way the glasses perform visually.
Four Nines Lenses are designed so that, regardless of the wearer’s prescription, they achieve the optimal curvature for Four Nines frames—typically around 3 curves.
By combining frames designed for both functionality and comfort with dedicated lenses tailored to them, Four Nines was able to create glasses closer to its ideal vision. Today, Four Nines Lenses are available in a wide range, from single-vision to multifocal (progressive) lenses, allowing the brand to recommend the most suitable lenses for each customer’s lifestyle.
According to Four Nines, “good glasses” are realized only when three elements come together: frames of the highest purity, optimal lenses, and fittings tailored to each individual. To achieve this, Four Nines has established Boutiques, set up a comprehensive processing lab, and developed original lenses. In addition, it has continued to evolve hand in hand with its partner retailers.
Purchasing glasses is not the end of the story. The true relationship begins only after they are delivered to the customer. In the next installment, we will explore how glasses are carefully prepared in Four Nines’ Boutiques and the services that continue after delivery, highlighting the brand’s people-centered approach to hospitality.
Related articles
vol.1 999.9（Four Nines） The Beginning of an Endless Pursuit
vol.2 Unprecedented Comfort: The Birth of the Gyaku-R Hinge
vol.3 Attention to Detail. Everything for Comfort
vol.4 What Makes a “Good Pair of Glasses” — Three Elements That Make It Possible
vol.5 What Glasses Bring Together