It’s hard to believe that it all started with a young Karim Hakimi grinding magnifying glass from old windowpanes in his native Iran. Modest as it may have been, he was able to learn many aspects of the eyewear business – from lens grinding to equipment maintenance and upkeep of worn machinery. At the age of 19, Hakimi enlisted into the Iranian Navy where he enjoyed his first taste of the world beyond his own borders. He subsequently emigrated to Germany and then to Switzerland, to learn more about the modern methods of grinding optical lenses for precision instruments and eyeglasses. At the age of 19, Hakimi enlisted into the Iranian Navy where he enjoyed his first taste of the world beyond his own borders. He subsequently emigrated to Germany and then to Switzerland, to learn more about the modern methods of grinding optical lenses for precision instruments and eyeglasses.