During his first summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva on June 16, U.S. President Joe Biden chose to present him with a pair of his favorite Aviator sunglasses made by an American company. Peter Vaskevitz, president of Randolph Engineering, expressed that he was "surprised" to see sunglasses designed by his company being given as a diplomatic gift during a meeting widely followed by media around the world. He told AFP, "It was a regular workday until the phones started ringing around noon, and we saw a lot of interaction on social media; that's when we realized what was happening," describing the moment as "very joyful."
He continued, "It's amazing, isn't it? I mean, how often do you get an opportunity like this?" Military personnel typically wear this style of sunglasses, and President Putin may soon use them. The company has had a contract with the U.S. Army since 1978, supplying approximately 25,000 pairs of sunglasses each month, along with their public sales.
Each pair of these sunglasses, known as "Concord" in reference to the supersonic aircraft, requires 200 steps to produce and takes six weeks to complete. They are manufactured in a small town in Massachusetts, which is located in the northeastern United States. Founded in 1973, the company boasts on its website about its "American family values" and its desire to keep its factory in the U.S.
The company's president noted, "I'm sure President Biden gave these sunglasses to Putin as a symbol of our national legacy." He added, "Let’s hope it is a symbol of peace."
