Which Akila Sunglasses Should You Choose?

Akila designs frames with very different silhouettes, and choosing a pair is about more than the colour. Two models listed at 144 mm wide can look completely different: lens height, bridge, geometry and acetate thickness all change how much presence a frame has on the face. This guide compares the six Akila models currently available at AURA, Psyche, Ceres, Ares, Era, Nebula and Apollo, using the official dimensions published by the brand, in millimetres. You will find a comparison table, a ranking by width, four head-to-head comparisons and a method for choosing your pair without trying it on. Every colourway in stock is in the Akila collection.

Looking for…

• the narrowest frame: Era, 141 mm wide;
• the widest frames: Apollo (148 mm) and Nebula (147 mm);
• the most understated frame: Psyche or Ceres, 33 mm tall lenses and a slimmer front than the thick models;
• a thick frame that stands out: Apollo, Nebula or Ares, all described as thick by Akila;
• the most rounded shape: Psyche, with soft 90s-inspired edges;
• a low, elongated rectangle: Ares, 47 × 32 mm lenses, the lowest in the range;
• a squarer shape: Apollo, 45 × 38 mm lenses;
• a hexagonal shape: Era.

Akila product shots, front view. They are not to the same scale: to compare sizes, go by the dimensions below.

Compare Akila models

All dimensions are those published by Akila on its product pages, in millimetres. Models are listed from the narrowest front to the widest.

What the figures show:

• The difference in frame width between the narrowest (Era, 141 mm) and the widest (Apollo, 148 mm) is only 7 mm. Three models share exactly 144 mm: Psyche, Ceres and Ares.
• Lens height varies more in proportion: from 32 mm (Ares) to 38 mm (Apollo), a 6 mm gap, almost 19%. It is often what makes a frame look bigger.
• Bridge width ranges from 22 mm (Psyche, Era) to 26 mm (Apollo).
• Temple length ranges from 135 mm (Nebula) to 150 mm (Apollo).
• Apollo has the narrowest lenses in the range (45 mm) but the widest front (148 mm): its volume comes from the bridge and the thickness of the frame, not the lenses.

Which Akila for the width of your face?

Frame width is the first figure to compare with a pair you already wear. Across the Akila range the differences are small: 7 mm between the two extremes. The groups below place the models relative to each other; they do not say which face each one suits.

Narrower frames

Among the models available at AURA, Era is the narrowest: 141 mm, 3 mm less than Psyche, Ceres and Ares, and 7 mm less than Apollo. It is not the lowest, though: with 36 mm tall lenses, it sits higher than Psyche, Ceres and Ares.

Mid-width frames

Psyche, Ceres and Ares all measure 144 mm. Akila rates Ceres as a medium fit, "suited for most faces", and Ares as a wide fit, "best suited for larger faces", even though their frame width is identical. The brand does not explain the difference. If width is your criterion, go by the figure; Ares is the only one of the three that Akila describes as thick, which gives it more presence.

Wider frames

Nebula (147 mm) and Apollo (148 mm) have the most frontal width. Akila rates Nebula as a "medium-to-wide fit, best suited for average to larger faces". Apollo, 1 mm wider, has no fit indication on its product page. They also have the tallest lenses (37 and 38 mm): visually, they take up more of the face.

Akila models in detail

Akila Psyche

Psyche is the softest frame in the selection: 90s-inspired, with rounded edges and double-riveted hinges. Official dimensions: 144 mm wide, 48 × 33 mm lenses, 22 mm bridge, 145 mm temples. Along with Ceres, it is one of the two lowest frames after Ares, and it shares the narrowest bridge with Era. Akila does not describe it as thick: in the photos, its front looks slimmer than Ares, Apollo and Nebula. It shows more of the face and suits anyone looking for an understated everyday pair. At AURA: Olive Green / Sky Blue and Terra / Black.

Akila Ceres

Ceres takes almost exactly the same proportions as Psyche: 144 mm wide, 48 × 33 mm lenses, 23 mm bridge, 140 mm temples. What sets it apart are its less rounded corners and construction details: custom stainless steel temple cores and two-pin rivets. Akila rates it as a medium fit, suited for most faces. It is the versatile pair of the selection, clean without being bland, and moves easily from smart to relaxed outfits. At AURA: Slate / Light Blue and Fog Gradient / Amber.

Akila Ares

Ares is the bold version of these proportions: the same 144 mm frame width as Psyche and Ceres, but a thick construction and a nod to the Art Deco architecture of downtown Los Angeles. The temple cores are inspired by the Eastern Columbia Building, and a metal plaque marks each hinge. Its 47 × 32 mm lenses are the lowest in the range and the most elongated in proportion: the frame draws a strong horizontal line. 23 mm bridge, 145 mm temples. Akila rates it as a wide fit. A pair that stands out without adding height. At AURA: Black / Black and Tortoise / Sky Blue.

Akila Era

Era is the narrowest Akila available at AURA: 141 mm wide. Its hexagonal shape stays subtle, finished with two-pin rivets and custom-engraved temple cores. 46 × 36 mm lenses, 22 mm bridge, 145 mm temples. It pairs a compact front with fairly tall lenses: 3 mm taller than Psyche, for 3 mm less frame width. Akila does not state a fit. A frame for anyone who wants to move away from the rectangle without adding width. At AURA: Black Acetate / Black Lenses.

Akila Nebula

Nebula is a thick-rimmed square frame with a classic silhouette. It is the widest after Apollo: 147 mm, 48 × 37 mm lenses, 24 mm bridge. Its temples, on the other hand, are the shortest in the range: 135 mm, 10 mm shorter than Psyche and 15 mm shorter than Apollo. Worth checking if your current glasses have longer temples: the metal core lets an optician adjust their curve, not their length. Akila rates it as a medium-to-wide fit. A pair that gives the face structure and gets noticed. At AURA: Dk Havana / Sunset Gradient.

Akila Apollo

Apollo is one of Akila's signature models: a chunky frame with flat "zero base" lenses. It is the boldest frame in the selection: the widest (148 mm), the tallest (38 mm lenses), with the widest bridge (26 mm) and the longest temples (150 mm). Yet its lenses are the narrowest in the range, 45 mm: the volume comes from the thickness of the front and the bridge, not from the lens area. Lenses almost as tall as they are wide give it a squarer look. Akila does not state a fit. At AURA: Tokyo Tortoise / Viridian.

Head-to-head comparisons

Psyche vs Ceres

On paper, almost twins: same frame width, same lenses. The only differences are 1 mm of bridge and 5 mm of temple. The choice comes down to shape and details: rounded edges and a 90s feel for Psyche; less rounded corners, two-pin rivets and custom temple cores for Ceres. If you are torn between the two, size is not the deciding factor.

Ceres vs Ares

Near-identical figures: same frame width, same bridge, 1 mm apart in lens width and height. Yet Akila rates Ceres as a medium fit and Ares as a wide fit. The difference is in the front: Ares is thick, Ceres slimmer. At the same width, Ares takes up more of the face and draws a more horizontal line; Ceres stays lighter.

Apollo vs Nebula

The two widest frames in the range, 1 mm apart, and both thick. Apollo concentrates more of its volume around the centre of the face: narrower lenses (3 mm less) but a wider bridge (2 mm more) and slightly taller lenses. Nebula stretches the frame more horizontally with its 48 mm lenses, in a more classic square shape. The real difference is the temples: 150 mm on Apollo, 135 mm on Nebula.

Psyche vs Apollo

The two extremes of the selection. Apollo is 4 mm wider, with lenses 5 mm taller and a bridge 4 mm wider, while its lenses are 3 mm narrower. Psyche is low, slim and rounded; Apollo tall, thick and almost square. For a pair that stays in the background, Psyche; for a frame that gives the face structure, Apollo.

How to read Akila frame dimensions

Akila publishes five measurements for each model. Here is what they mean:

• Frame width: the width of the front seen head-on, at its widest point. It is the first figure to compare.
• Lens width: the horizontal width of one lens.
• Lens height: the height of one lens. It determines how much vertical space the frame takes on the face.
• Bridge: the gap between the two lenses, where the frame sits on the nose.
• Temple length: the length of the arm, down to its tip behind the ear.

On most glasses, three of these figures are printed on the inside of one temple, in this order: lens width, bridge, temple length. With Psyche's official dimensions, that gives 48□22-145: 48 mm lens, 22 mm bridge, 145 mm temple. This format says nothing about lens height or frame width; Akila publishes both as well, which makes a fuller comparison possible.

Lens width or frame width?

A wider lens does not mean a wider frame. Apollo has 45 mm lenses, 3 mm less than Psyche, yet a front 4 mm wider (148 against 144 mm). The bridge, the thickness of the front and the hinges all count towards frame width. Adding two lenses and a bridge therefore does not give a frame's real width: that is why this guide compares all five measurements, not just lens width.

How to choose Akila sunglasses without trying them on

1. Take a pair you already wear and that fits you well.
2. Note the dimensions printed on the inside of its temple: lens width, bridge, temple length.
3. Measure its frame width with a ruler, front facing you, edge to edge at the widest point.
4. Compare with the table: frame width first, then bridge.
5. Then look at lens height and shape: at the same width, a few millimetres of height clearly change how present a frame looks.
6. Take thickness into account: a thick front (Ares, Apollo, Nebula) looks bigger than a slim front with the same dimensions.

Two pairs of the same width can look very different in size depending on lens height, frame thickness, geometry and colour. Akila acetate frames, with a metal core in each temple, can be adjusted by an optician; the width of the front and the length of the temples cannot. You can also try the models on in our Rennes store.

Which Akila model should you choose?

For an understated frame

Psyche or Ceres. At 33 mm, their lenses are among the lowest in the range, and Akila does not describe either as thick. Their lower height leaves more of the face visible.

For a bolder frame

Apollo first: the widest, the tallest and thick. Then Nebula, 1 mm narrower and 1 mm lower. Ares also has plenty of presence thanks to its thickness, but with low lenses: its presence is horizontal.

For a rounded shape

None of the Akila models currently at AURA is truly round. Psyche is the softest, with rounded, smooth edges: it softens lines rather than sharpening them.

For a rectangular shape

Ares: its lenses are almost 1.5 times wider than they are tall (47 × 32 mm) and its thick front reinforces the horizontal line. Psyche and Ceres have similar proportions (48 × 33 mm) in a slimmer version. By contrast, Apollo (45 × 38 mm) is the squarest.

For a narrower frame

Era, at 141 mm wide, 3 mm less than the mid-width models. It shares the narrowest bridge, 22 mm, with Psyche.

For a wider frame

Apollo (148 mm) or Nebula (147 mm). Check the temple length: 150 mm on Apollo, 135 mm on Nebula.

Black, tortoiseshell or colour: which look?

• Black (Ares, Era): strong contrast, the shape of the frame stands out clearly.
• Tortoiseshell (Apollo Tokyo Tortoise, Ares Tortoise, Nebula Dk Havana): a more nuanced look; at the same dimensions, the frame tends to look less heavy than in black.
• Colour and translucent (Psyche Olive Green and Terra, Ceres Slate and Fog Gradient): a lighter presence, especially with translucent acetates such as Ceres Slate.

Materials and lenses

According to Akila, the frames are made from plant-based cellulose acetate, with barrel hinges and a stainless steel core in the temples. All Akila sun lenses block 100% of UVA and UVB rays. They are not polarised unless otherwise stated: none of the models featured here is listed as polarised.

Akila in brief

Akila is an independent eyewear brand from Los Angeles, with two stores: Silver Lake in Los Angeles and the Lower East Side in New York. The frames are designed in Los Angeles, where the brand has a development lab, and made in Shenzhen, China. Akila works mainly with plant-based cellulose acetate, uses lenses with recycled content and plastic-free packaging, and gives 1% of its annual sales to environmental causes as a member of 1% for the Planet.

Akila sunglasses available at AURA

These are the models currently in stock. Quantities are limited: see the Akila collection for the latest selection.

• Psyche: Olive Green / Sky Blue, Terra / Black
• Ceres: Slate / Light Blue, Fog Gradient / Amber
• Ares: Black / Black, Tortoise / Sky Blue
• Era: Black Acetate / Black Lenses
• Nebula: Dk Havana / Sunset Gradient
• Apollo: Tokyo Tortoise / Viridian

Akila sunglasses are available in our Rennes store and online, with delivery across France and Europe.

Frequently asked questions

Which Akila model should I choose?

Start from the frame width of your current pair, then the presence you want. Psyche and Ceres are the most understated, Apollo and Nebula the widest and boldest, Era the narrowest, Ares the most rectangular.

How does Akila sizing work?

At AURA, each Akila model comes in a single size. Frame widths range from 141 mm (Era) to 148 mm (Apollo). Compare that figure with a pair that already fits you.

How do I read Akila frame dimensions?

Akila publishes five measurements: frame width, lens width, lens height, bridge and temple length, in millimetres. Frame width is the most useful for knowing whether a frame will be too wide or too narrow.

Which Akila is the widest?

Apollo, with a 148 mm frame width, followed by Nebula at 147 mm.

Which Akila is the narrowest?

Era, with a 141 mm frame width, 3 mm less than Psyche, Ceres and Ares.

What is the difference between Psyche and Apollo?

Apollo is 4 mm wider (148 against 144 mm), with lenses 5 mm taller and a bridge 4 mm wider, but lenses 3 mm narrower. Psyche is low and rounded; Apollo thick and almost square.

What is the difference between Ceres and Ares?

Their dimensions are almost identical (144 mm wide, 23 mm bridge). Ares has a thick, Art Deco-inspired front and slightly lower lenses; Ceres is slimmer. Akila rates Ceres as a medium fit and Ares as a wide fit.

Which Akila frame is the most understated?

Psyche or Ceres: 33 mm tall lenses and a slimmer front than the thick models in the range.

Do Akila sunglasses protect against UV?

Yes. According to Akila, all its sun lenses block 100% of UVA and UVB rays.

Are Akila sunglasses polarised?

Not the models featured here. Akila states that its lenses are not polarised unless otherwise noted.

Where can I buy Akila in France?

At AURA, in our Rennes store and online at aura-estore.com, with delivery across France and Europe.