Stephan Schmidt would borrow a pair of his father’s glasses every morning to wear to class. In the evening, the then 12-year-old would return it to the factory floor. The next day, the same thing would happen. He knew they were special. Even at that young age, Schmidt recognised the hard work that went into every pair. “The glasses were crafted from solid gold, but the great thing was that no one in school knew this. There was no need to show off.”
Schmidt continues that legacy of subtlety now as the fifth generation of the family running eyewear brand Lotos. Founded in 1872 in Pforzheim, Germany, Lotos began as a pure manufacturing company specialising in gold. Over centuries—and multiple world wars—it has amassed an enviable client list comprising brands such as Cartier and Piaget.
When Schmidt took over in the ’80s, he embarked on a journey to transform Lotos into a brand and ceased manufacturing for other maisons. The challenges were immense. Schmidt, who studied goldsmithing, wanted to create a malleable gold alloy that could withstand the rigour most eyewear is subjected to.
He also needed to find partners who believed in his luxury eyewear vision. “I had to look for artisans and engineers who understood what I was looking for, along with business compatriots who would support me. The road was long and hard,” says Schmidt. During the process, he succeeded in creating a patented gold alloy for Lotos eyewear.
His big break in business came later. During the early 1990s, his creations captivated a distributor in Japan. Together, they grew Lotos into a sought-after eyewear brand. “They loved the new solid gold eyewear in the more modern designs.”
Success begets success. Soon, Europe came calling, then Russia and China. Schmidt credits the latter market for propelling Lotos to its current hallowed position. It was where he met Jeffery Yau, founder of Puyi Optical, in 2008. Yau was impressed by the brand’s manufacturing process and took a stake in Lotos. That partnership has now expanded into 23 major cities, including Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Macau, Taipei, and its latest, Singapore. Puyi Optical recently opened its first store in the city at Marina Bay Sands.
Today, it’s hard to be subtle when Lotos regularly sells out its annual production of 6,000 glasses. Schmidt, however, is adamant about not increasing quantity. He remains fastidious about quality—every Lotos eyewear comes with a lifelong guarantee. “We’ve had customers bringing in a broken pair they bought over 20 years ago. They’re always overjoyed when we tell them we can fix it,” says Schmidt. However, he professes that gold, gem and enamel specialists are increasingly hard to find.
One pair that Schmidt is especially proud of is the Lotos Marquis Snake he designed eight years ago. Rows of diamonds are twisted into the reptile’s shape and wrapped around the gold frame, presenting a unique silhouette on the temples of the wearer. “I sincerely believe this piece will be in a museum one day. We still have customers asking us to recreate this. However, I have always declined respectfully,” says Schmidt.
