From the Founders of Kaenon: basn5 and Tajima Lens Technology The Next Evolution
Steve Rosenberg founded Kaenon in 2001 and invented his namesake branded SR-91 polarized lens, made from his patented Tajima Urethane™ lens material in Japan. Steve and his son Jacob founded, and today lead, the premium lens replacement and upgrade service Tajima-Direct.com and their new advanced sunglass line, basn5. Tajima polarized lenses are the next evolution of that lens technology he invented, available for any frame from any brand through Tajima-Direct.com, including prescription, and featured in every pair of basn5 sunglasses.
The lens, improved
Tajima Urethane lens technology provides the optics of glass, yet is shatter-proof and impact-resistant, durable and the lightest-weight lens on the market. After we sold Kaenon in 2015, Steve continued to work closely with our Japanese lens-making partners to continually improve the technology for improved detail, color saturation, durability and lifespan.
In any frame, including prescription
Through Tajima Direct, we put our lens technology into any frame, from any brand, custom-cut in our lens laboratory in Huntington Beach, California. Tajima-Direct.com is the only source for authentic (SR-91) / Tajima Urethane prescription polarized lenses, made in our factory in Japan.
Build a better frame: basn5
Eight years at Oakley, 15 years of building Kaenon and now six years of seeing every frame style from every brand come through Tajima Direct have taught us what wears out on a pair of sunglasses. We took those years of learnings and applied them to our advanced frame line, basn5 – specifically to solve those industry shortcomings.
| What we learned at Kaenon and Tajima Direct | How basn5 answers it |
|---|---|
| Paint peeling | No paint. The color is in the material. No paint to peel or chip. |
| Hinge failure | Our patent-pending stacked hinge from an elite Austrian hinge maker. Strong, precise, serviceable. |
| Rubber components breaking down | No rubber. Nothing extra to break down or peel off. The frame material itself is grippy. |
| Parts you couldn’t replace | Every part is serviceable. |
Light. Comfortable. Durable. The frames are engineered in Germany from one advanced material, with fit you can adjust at the temple tips. Highway 1 and Fort Point weigh 19 grams; Davenport, 25 grams.
Every basn5 comes standard with Tajima polarized lenses, and every frame is available in prescription: Highway 1 ($365), Davenport ($395) and Fort Point ($395).
Try the next evolution: basn5
basn5 frames with Tajima polarized lenses, non-prescription or prescription.
Still love your Kaenons? Install new Tajima lenses.
If your Kaenon frames are still going strong, we can cut and install new Tajima lenses. Non-prescription or prescription.
Tajima replacement lenses for Kaenon → · Prescription lenses for Kaenon →
Put this lens into any frame you already have.
Any frame, any brand. Polarized or prescription, custom-cut and installed in our Huntington Beach lab.
Kaenon, Tajima and basn5: quick answers
Who founded Kaenon?
Steve Rosenberg founded Kaenon in 2001 and invented his namesake SR-91 (Steve Rosenberg, 9 elements, 1st of its kind) polarized lens with his Japanese lens partners. Only trademarks were sold to Kaenon in 2015, not supply. Steve and his son Jacob founded and lead Tajima Direct and basn5.
Are Tajima lenses the same as Kaenon SR-91 lenses?
Tajima lenses are made from patented Tajima Urethane in our lens-making facility in Tajima, Japan. The lens source and quality of the Kaenon SR-91 lens cannot be corroborated or confirmed from 2016 and beyond, after Rosenberg sold the Kaenon brand and trademarks. The only source for authentic Tajima Urethane polarized lenses in prescription and non-prescription is Tajima Direct.
What is basn5?
basn5 is our advanced sunglass brand, launched in 2026 and built around Tajima polarized lenses. Every frame is available in prescription.
Can I put new lenses, including prescription, in my Kaenon sunglasses?
Yes. Tajima Direct custom-cuts and installs new Tajima polarized lenses for any Kaenon frame (or any other brand’s frame) in prescription or non-prescription. Tajima replacement lenses for Kaenon · Prescription lenses for Kaenon.