Niwaki is all about functional tools that make time spent in the garden even more of a pleasure. Careful observation is such an important part of gardening, so why not make a tool to help with that vital task?

We had a couple of key demands: they mustn’t slip when you’re bending over, they must protect your eyes from the sun and, crucially, they mustn’t look out of place when you rejoin the hustle and bustle.

The result is the ‘Mirei’: functional spectacles, designed for life in and out of the garden. A panto lens, calculated for peripheral vision and eye protection. Cable temples that reassuringly embrace the ear (to maintain the proper distance between frame and flower bed at all times). Flip-clip sunglasses, for the occasional day(s) of sun, and a warm, amber-coloured acetate frame to complement most complexions.

Tom Broughton, Founder of Cubitts explains the collaboration from his point of view: “My favourite ever optical book (The Principles and Practice of Optical Dispensing by Lewis Sasieni, 1961) has a dedicated section on spectacles for gardening, and that idea has always stayed with me. The opportunity to create a perfect pair of gardening spectacles, with a team as dedicated, skilled and fastidious as Niwaki, has been a real privilege. I’m delighted with the final result - spectacles that are vocational first, functional second, and beautiful third.”

We feel the same about Cubitts, Tom, though unfortunately there is no corresponding chapter on opticians in any gardening books we’ve come across.

Available from Tuesday 25 June at Cubitts Belgravia, Cubitts Cambridge and, naturally, Niwaki Chiltern Street.