Hong Kong’s Western District: An Old Eyewear Shop Housed with Authentic “Vintage Glasses” Produced in West Germany 80 Years Ago

▲ An old eyewear shop in Hong Kong’s Western District.

Reported and photographed by Reporter You t
ru / Hong Kong

The “Western District” area of Hong Kong is what locals commonly refer to as an old neighbourhood, filled with the lively, lived-in memories of old Hong Kong, stretching along the sloping streets. However, with the opening of the MTR station in the Western District, property prices and rents in the old neighbourhood have soared, forcing some long-established shops to close or relocate. At the newly opened “Sai Ying Pun Station” in late March, there’s an eyewear shop that has been around for nearly 30 years — well worth a visit, because what it sells isn’t trendy vintage-style eyewear, but genuine, well-preserved “old glasses” collected over more than sixty years.


▲% The classic styles that can still be seen on the streets today are rarely found.
 

An old eyewear shop established in 1989“Heirloom Eyewear Company”The owner, Chow Kwok-wah, was born into a family of eyewear makers. His parents were already in the eyewear business in mainland China, so he learned everything from optometry to crafting glasses by hand. Although the shop itself is old, its exterior and interior only faintly hint at the traces of time through their decor. You have to look carefully to find the real vintage glasses.

Passersby flock past the glass display window of “Heirloom Eyewear Company,” yet very few stop to take a look. Chow Kwok-wah says that half of the old glasses in the window are newly made vintage-style pieces, while the other half are genuine antiques. “Some of these glasses from the West German era have been collected for over 80 years.” He opens the display case and shows the collection to reporters. The designs and craftsmanship of the West German glasses are indeed distinct from modern ones, with every curve showcasing fine artistry. “These old glasses may be old, but they’re not easy to break.” Even those over 80 years old remain free from dirt or damage in Chow’s collection.


▲ The back room of the shop where Chow Kwok-wah keeps his old glasses.


▲% Many pairs of vintage eyewear are not on display.
 
 
Inside the shop, there are over a hundred pairs of old glasses. Aside from those in the front window, the rest are all carefully stored in a small back room. Prices range from HK$1,000 to HK$5,000, including some early designs by Dior. “These old glasses are impossible to find nowadays. When someone likes them, they take them home.” Among them is a round-framed pair from China’s Qing Dynasty, made using traditional stone techniques with lenses crafted from Chinese crystal — extremely elegant in form. It was brought back specially by Chow’s father from the mainland and is now a rare treasure seldom seen in Hong Kong.

“Heirloom Eyewear Company” signifies “the road of hope,” reflecting the aspiration Chow Kwok-wah had when founding the business. With the opening of the MTR, the rent for the shop has increased by one-third, yet he remains steadfast on this piece of land. Chow says he doesn’t expect to do big business — he just hopes that people will walk in and take an interest in his glasses. “Feel free to look, no need to buy. I’d hate to part with them.”

% Some of his most cherished pieces even get sold occasionally.


Heirloom Eyewear Company
Address: 276 Queen’s Road West, Hong Kong
Telephone: 2546-0053
Business hours: Monday to Saturday 11:00–20:00; Sunday 10:00–19:00