Anne et Valentin Aribo: The Elongated Oval (48-20-142), Colorways and Fit

Anne et Valentin Aribo: The Elongated Oval (48-20-142), Colorways and Fit

In short: The Anne et Valentin Aribo is an Alpha-line frame in pure acetate — no metal anywhere — measuring 48-20-142, at $385. Six colorways are available to order, all of them current additions, and none are held in stock: Aribo is a special-order frame at Gazal Eyecare. All six are photographed on the Aribo product page.

Anne et Valentin's description of Aribo: "Oval unleashed. Resolutely feline. Harmony. Softness. Rigor. A long-term studious spirit. Elongated gaze for added languor. Classical. Reserved. Discreet. Charming too. Says a lot, despite appearances."

"Says a lot, despite appearances" is the honest line in that. Aribo is the quiet option — an oval in a single material, without the two-tone construction that defines much of the rest of the collection. What it has instead is the thing acetate does better than anything else: color with depth.

Reading 48-20-142

  • 48 — eye size. The width of each lens opening, in millimeters.
  • 20 — bridge (DBL). The distance between the two lenses, across the nose.
  • 142 — temple length. The length of each arm, hinge to tip.

Two 48mm lenses plus a 20mm bridge come to roughly 116mm across the front before the outer rim edges are counted. That is the widest front of the five Alpha frames we carry — tied with Ayo, and ahead of Alma 2 at 47mm, Angie and Albertine at 45mm. It is also the reason the oval reads as elongated rather than round: a 48mm opening in an oval outline is wider than it is tall by a clear margin, which is precisely the "elongated gaze" the brand claims.

The 142mm temple is a fraction shorter than the 145mm arms on the Formacolor frames, and a millimetre longer than Ayo's 141. It is a full adult arm; a single millimetre is not something you will feel, but it is worth knowing if you are comparing spec sheets side by side.

Pure acetate — and why that matters here

Anne et Valentin list Aribo's material simply as acetate, produced in France, and it belongs to the Alpha line. That single word is the real differentiator. Several of the frames we carry from this brand — Fossette, Frehel, Feist, Fanzine, Foryou — are Formacolor combination frames, built from an acetate front with metal bridge and temples. Aribo is not. Front, bridge and temples are all the same material.

The practical consequences are concrete rather than romantic:

  • Color runs through the material. Acetate is colored in the block, so the tone goes all the way through the thickness rather than sitting on the surface as a coating. A scuff on acetate exposes more of the same color; a scuff on plated metal exposes the metal underneath.
  • It heat-adjusts. Acetate softens under gentle heat, which means the whole frame — not just the temple tips — can be shaped to your bridge and ears.
  • The profile is thicker. Acetate temples are wider than metal ones, which reads as a warmer, softer frame from the side.

If you are deciding between Aribo and one of the combination models, that is the choice in a sentence: one color with depth, or two colors in two materials.

The six colorways

Anne et Valentin identify colorways by code rather than name. We went through the product photography for all six current Aribo colorways and named them ourselves, keeping the factory code in brackets so nothing is lost when you order:

  • Havana Tortoise (0930) — warm amber-brown tortoise; the classic reading of the shape.
  • Purple with Light Blue Temples (26A46) — deep purple front with a cream lining and lighter periwinkle-blue temples.
  • Burgundy Wine (26A48) — deep wine-burgundy throughout.
  • Olive Moss (26A50) — muted olive-khaki; the earthiest neutral on the list.
  • Dark Tortoise over Cream (26A53) — dark tortoise laminate over a cream base, front and temples in the same material.
  • Solid Black (I) — black throughout, and the only colorway whose code is a single character.

One of the six — Purple with Light Blue Temples — gets a two-tone effect without any metal at all, by running a different acetate on the temples than on the front. It is a quieter effect than a bright metal bridge.

Anne Et Valentin ARIBO Eyeglasses Havana Tortoise (0930) Front

Havana Tortoise is the colorway that shows what a 48mm oval actually looks like on a shelf: the pattern in the acetate does the work that a contrasting bridge would do on a Formacolor frame.

Anne Et Valentin ARIBO Eyeglasses Purple with Light Blue Temples (26A46) Front

Purple with Light Blue Temples is the most interesting of the six, because the second color only appears from the side or three-quarter angle. Straight on, it is a purple frame.

Anne Et Valentin ARIBO Eyeglasses Olive Moss (26A50) Front

Olive Moss is the earthiest of the six — a muted khaki-green that behaves like a neutral rather than a color, and the least expected of the three solid tones.

Who Aribo suits

It suits a wider front. At 48mm eye and 20mm bridge, Aribo is at the larger end of the Alpha line. If smaller frames have felt like they perch rather than sit, this is a better starting point.

The oval outline is forgiving. An oval has no corners to align with your brow or cheekbone, which is why it is the shape most often recommended when a strongly geometric frame has not worked out.

It is the discreet choice in a loud collection. Anne et Valentin are known for architectural shapes and bright color pairings. Aribo is the frame in that collection for someone who wants the material and the making without the announcement.

Price and ordering

Aribo is $385, which places it in the Alpha line's acetate tier rather than the higher-priced combination frames. Every colorway is a special order at Gazal Eyecare — none are held in stock. Pick the colorway, quote the code, and we will walk you through production and delivery.

How it compares

See it

Full specifications, all six colorways and current availability are on the Aribo product page. The rest of the range is at the Anne et Valentin collection. So is the genuine Anne et Valentin case, if you want the frame to have somewhere to live.

More on Anne et Valentin

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Anne et Valentin Aribo measurements?

Aribo measures 48mm eye size, 20mm bridge and 142mm temple length — written as 48-20-142. Each lens opening is 48mm wide, there are 20mm between the lenses across the nose, and each arm is 142mm long. The two lenses and the bridge together account for roughly 116mm across the front, before the outer rim edges are counted, which makes it the widest front of the Alpha frames we carry, tied with Ayo.

Which Aribo colorways can I order?

Six Aribo colorways are current: Havana Tortoise (0930), Purple with Light Blue Temples (26A46), Burgundy Wine (26A48), Olive Moss (26A50), Dark Tortoise over Cream (26A53) and Solid Black (I). All six are current additions to the Anne et Valentin catalogue — none have been discontinued. Every colorway is a special order at Gazal Eyecare; none are held in stock.

What is the Aribo made of?

Aribo is pure acetate, produced in France, and belongs to Anne et Valentin’s Alpha line. That is its main point of difference from the Formacolor frames such as Fossette, Frehel and Feist, which combine an acetate front with a metal bridge and temples. On Aribo the front, bridge and temples are all the same material, so the colour runs through the full thickness and the whole frame can be heat-adjusted.

Who does the Aribo suit?

Aribo suits a wider front — at 48mm eye and 20mm bridge it is at the larger end of the Alpha line, so it is a better starting point if smaller frames have felt like they perch rather than sit. The oval outline has no corners to align with your brow or cheekbone, which makes it the more forgiving shape and the one most often suggested after a strongly geometric frame has not worked out.

How much is the Anne et Valentin Aribo?

Aribo is $385 at Gazal Eyecare, in every colorway.

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