How to Read a Ray-Ban Code
Look inside the left arm first. On most Ray-Bans it carries the model number, the color code, the size and the lens code, in that order. The right arm usually shows where the pair was made, the CE mark and sometimes the temple length. Two more marks are etched into the lenses themselves: a small RB on the left lens and the logo on the right lens, with a P beside it when the lenses are polarized.
The size part follows the same system as every other brand: lens width, then bridge width, in millimeters. For what those numbers mean for fit, and which size to pick in each model, see the full size guide.
Ray-Ban Model Numbers and Names
The four digits after RB identify the frame, and Ray-Ban keeps them for years, so the Original Wayfarer has been sold as the RB2140 across many seasons and colors. That makes the model number the most useful part of the code: search it with the color code and you will find the exact pair, replacement lenses or the same frame in a new finish. Model numbers are not size-specific; the same RB3025 comes in several sizes. The table lists the numbers you will see most often.
How to Find Your Ray-Ban Model Number
Open the sunglasses and read the inside of the left arm; the model number is the first group, starting with RB. If the print has faded, the same full code appears on the box label and usually on the receipt or order confirmation. Online listings often add a leading zero, writing RB2140 as 0RB2140, which is the same model.
What the Letters in a Ray-Ban Model Number Mean
Letters before and after the four digits change what the number describes. The prefix tells you the product type, and a letter after the digits marks a variation of the base model. The one most worth knowing is F, which marks the Low Bridge Fit versions Ray-Ban makes for low nose bridges and higher cheekbones.
Ray-Ban Color Codes Explained
The color code sits right after the model number and usually has two parts separated by a slash. The number before the slash is the frame color; the number after it is the lens. So 901/58 reads as a glossy black frame with polarized green lenses, and 003/32 as a silver frame with grey gradient lenses. The same color code means the same thing across models, which is why you will find 901 on Wayfarers, Clubmasters and many other black frames.
Frame Color Codes
Lens Codes
Older and reissued models sometimes use a letter and four digits instead, such as L0205 on gold Aviators with green G-15 lenses or W0365 on black-and-gold Clubmasters. Newer pairs can also carry longer codes, like 601S5J, that combine frame and lens in one block. For what each lens tint actually does on the road or at the beach, our lens color guide covers G-15, B-15 and the rest.
What Does the P Mean on Ray-Bans?
A P on Ray-Bans means the lenses are polarized. You can find it in two places: etched in small type next to the logo on the right lens, as worn, and at the end of the code inside the arm, where 3P means category 3 polarized and 3N means category 3 without polarization. The color code usually agrees: lens codes such as /58 and /57 are polarized, while a frame code with no slash typically comes with the standard, non-polarized lens.
Are All Ray-Bans Polarized?
No. Most Ray-Ban styles come in both versions, and the polarized pair usually costs more. Polarized and non-polarized Ray-Bans with the same tint block the same UV; the difference is glare. A polarized lens filters the reflected glare from water, wet roads and car hoods, while a non-polarized lens only darkens it. If the P and the arm code disagree, or neither is there, the screen test settles it: look at a phone through the lens and tilt it 90 degrees. A polarized lens makes the screen darken sharply.
Other Ray-Ban Markings
- RB etched on the left lens: a small, light etching found on most current Ray-Ban lenses.
- Logo on the right lens: printed or etched near the top outer corner, with the P beside it on polarized pairs.
- BL on older lenses: the initials of Bausch & Lomb, the American company that made Ray-Ban until it sold the brand to Luxottica in 1999. BL lenses usually mean a vintage pair.
- CE: a European conformity mark showing the pair meets EU safety rules for sunglasses.
- Made in Italy or Made in China: Ray-Ban produces in both countries, and the country alone does not tell you whether a pair is genuine.
- R and B on the nose pads: metal Ray-Ban frames often carry small RB initials on the metal inlay of each pad.
Do Ray-Bans Have Serial Numbers?
Not in the usual sense. The code inside the arm describes the model, color and size, and thousands of identical pairs share it, so it cannot be looked up to verify one specific pair. Searching the code tells you what the sunglasses should look like, which is still useful: if the frame, lenses or size in your hands do not match the listing for that code, something is off.
To check whether Ray-Bans are genuine, look at the details together rather than one marking alone:
- Clean, even printing inside both arms, with a code that matches the shape and color of the frame
- The etched RB on the left lens and the logo on the right lens, plus the P on polarized pairs
- Smooth, sturdy metal hinges
- A box label with the same code as the arms
- A seller you trust: Ray-Ban’s own stores and authorized retailers
Frequently Asked Questions About Ray-Ban Codes
What does 901 mean on Ray-Bans?
On Ray-Bans, 901 is the frame color code for glossy black. You will see it on black Wayfarers and many other acetate styles, either alone, as in RB2140 901, or followed by a lens code, as in 901/58 for a black frame with polarized green lenses. A matte black frame uses a different code, usually 601S, so the two are easy to tell apart on a listing.
What does 3N mean on Ray-Bans?
3N means the lenses are category 3 and not polarized. The number is the lens category on a scale of 0 to 4, where 3 is the dark tint used for bright sun. The letter is the lens type: N for normal, P for polarized and F for photochromic. Most Ray-Ban sunglasses are category 3, so the letter is usually the part that tells you something new.
What does 58 mean in Ray-Ban 901/58?
In 901/58, the 58 is the lens code, and it stands for polarized green G-15 lenses. The number before the slash, 901, is the frame color, glossy black. Do not confuse this 58 with the size: a 58 printed after the color code, next to the small square, is the lens width in millimeters. On an Aviator code such as RB3025 001/58 58□14, both meanings appear in a row.
What does RB mean on sunglasses?
RB is the prefix Ray-Ban uses for its sunglasses, followed by a four-digit model number such as RB3025 for the Aviator Classic. Ray-Ban optical frames use RX instead, and kids’ frames use RJ. Retail listings sometimes add a leading zero, as in 0RB2140, which refers to the same model. The model number is the quickest way to search for replacement lenses, cases or the same frame in a new color.
What does F mean in a Ray-Ban model number?
An F after the model number marks a Low Bridge Fit version, such as RB2140F. These frames sit higher on the face, with fuller nose pads and a shallower fit, for people whose sunglasses usually slide down or rest on their cheeks. Do not mix it up with an F at the end of the lens code, like 3F, which means photochromic lenses.
How do I find my Ray-Ban model number if it’s worn off?
If the print inside the arm has worn off, check the original case, box label or receipt, which list the full code. Without those, compare your frame’s shape against Ray-Ban’s catalog and measure the lens width across its widest point to narrow down the model and size. An optician who sells Ray-Ban can often identify the model in person from the hinge, temple shape and lens markings.
