FIX AND FIT

Bridging the Gap

The W bridge is making a comeback, and here’s how to work with it

Early eyewear often had a bridge that rested on the crest of the nose. Two such styles, called Crank and W bridges, are making a resurgence. When fit properly, they can be comfortable alternatives to nosepads.

The Crank bridge is usually just an arched piece of wire that connects the two eyewires and does not protrude front or back. It allows the eyewear to sit very close to the face.

The W bridge usually welds to the back of the eyewires. It moves the arch across the crest of the nose back from the plane of the eyewires, allowing for a longer vertex distance.

MORE COMFORTABLE OPTION

Though both serve their purpose, the W bridge is typically more comfortable for the wearer. It has a wider area over the bridge, which tapers into round wire where it affixes to the eyewire. This broader area distributes weight over a larger surface area, which is why it’s more comfortable.

Many frames with the W or Crank bridge are being fit without regard to how the surface of the bridge sits on the nose, as many dispensers don’t realize a considerable amount of adjustment can be done to increase comfort. With a bit of practice, however, you can achieve a very satisfying adjustment.

The goal is to achieve maximum contact on the crest of the nose. You will need some sort of form to bend around. This can be a pair of pliers with a rounded nylon jaw or even a wooden dowel.

BACK AND FORTH

Usually, you will work back and forth on the frontal view between arching the bridge to fit the nose and rotating the eyewire shapes back to alignment. For example, if you are reducing the arch on a bridge where the sides lift off the nose, you will bend the sides of the arch down to contact the nose. As a result, the shape of the eyewires will then be drooping down at the sides. You will need to return them to their original axis by grasping the wire that connects the arch to the eyewire and rotating the shape back into position on both sides. If the sides of the arch are hitting the nose and lifting off the top, you would reverse this process.

On the W bridge you will find that with practice, you can lean the top of the arch forward or backward to ensure that the angle of the arched area is both following the vertical angle of the nose and laying flat. The key, of course, is practice.

— Alex Yoho, ABOM

W BRIDGE
When viewed from the top of the frame, the shape resembles a “W.” Hence, the name.