Oakley Minute: Gen 1 vs Gen 2, Colourways and What to Check

Oakley introduced the Minute in May 1998. More than fifty pairs photographed in the studio: generations, colourways and what to check before buying one.

By VictorPublished 17 Sep 2026Checked against our listings 30 Sep 20265 min read

1998 Oakley Minute G2 FMJ Platinum / Gold Iridium

Contents

Model file
What it is
Colourways we have actually had
Pieces we have had
Sizing
What to check on a Minute before you buy one
In the studio now
Looking for one
Sources

Model file

Oakley · Jackets family

Minute

Introduced: May 1998¹²
US list price: US$80–150 in the 2000 list; US$95–155 in the 2002 list¹²

Dates and list prices as the maker's own documents print them. Everything else on this page comes from our listings.

Fifty-one pairs of Minute have passed through this studio. That is more than any other frame we handle, and it is the reason this page exists: everything below comes from pieces we have had in hand, not from a catalogue we copied.

What it is

Oakley introduced the Minute in May 1998 and lists it in its Jackets family, next to the Eye Jacket and the Straight Jacket, not among its Wires¹. Our listings describe the frame as O Matter, which the same filing describes as Oakley's lightweight synthetic¹. In its filing for 2000 the company names the Minute its largest-selling sunglass model of that year¹, and its 2002 list still carries it, at US$95–155².

Listings, ours included, split it into two generations: Gen 1 or 1.0, and Gen 2, G2 or 2.0, by far the more common of the two. Oakley's own lists up to 2002 carry a single Minute^{1, 2}, so read the generation as the listing's description rather than as Oakley's name. Of the fifty-one pairs we have had, five were marked Gen 1, thirty were marked Gen 2, and sixteen came with no generation marked at all.

The years in our listings run from 1998 to 2004, and 1999 accounts for thirty-three of them on its own. If you are looking for a Minute, you are most likely looking for a 1999 Gen 2.

Colourways we have actually had

Frames

Tortoise, in plain brown and in a bright orange version
Polished Rootbeer
Black and Jet Black
Silver, including a silver Ducati
Pearl
Crystal Blue, Electric Blue, Code Blue, Royal Blue, Powder Blue and Baby Powder Blue
Violet
Tangerine
Brown
FMJ in Platinum and in Red

Lenses

Black Iridium
Gold Iridium, and a 24k Gold Iridium
Fire Iridium
Ice Iridium
Emerald
Persimmon
VR58 Black Iridium

Three of the pairs we have had carried the etched flower on the frame. It is not a defect and it is not aftermarket: it is a detail that appears on some Minutes and not on others, and it is worth knowing about before you assume a pair has been engraved by a previous owner.

Pieces we have had

These are the fifty-one Minutes that have passed through the studio, grouped by the generation written in each listing. Sold pieces stay here as a record; each photograph links to its original listing.

Gen 1

1999 Oakley Minute G1 Blue / Black Iridium – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute G1 Blue / Black Iridium · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute G1 Tortoise / Gold Iridium Sunglasses – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute G1 Tortoise / Gold Iridium Sunglasses · Sold

90's Oakley Minute 1.0 Black With Box – sold — 90's Oakley Minute 1.0 Black With Box · Sold

00's Oakley Minute Gen 1 Baby Powder Blue Sunglasses – sold — 00's Oakley Minute Gen 1 Baby Powder Blue Sunglasses · Sold

Gen 2

1998 Oakley Minute G2 FMJ Platinum / Gold Iridium Sunglasses – sold — 1998 Oakley Minute G2 FMJ Platinum / Gold Iridium Sunglasses · Sold

1998 Oakley Minute G2 Crystal Blue / 24k Gold Iridium Sunglasses – sold — 1998 Oakley Minute G2 Crystal Blue / 24k Gold Iridium Sunglasses · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute G2 Polished Rootbeer / VR58 Black Iridium – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute G2 Polished Rootbeer / VR58 Black Iridium · Sold

2004 Oakley Minute Gen 2 Powder Blue / Black Iridium – sold — 2004 Oakley Minute Gen 2 Powder Blue / Black Iridium · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute G2 Blue / Gold Iridium Sunglasses – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute G2 Blue / Gold Iridium Sunglasses · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute G2 Blue / Black Iridium Sunglasses – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute G2 Blue / Black Iridium Sunglasses · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute G2 Electric Blue / Black Iridium – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute G2 Electric Blue / Black Iridium · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute Gen 2 Silver Ducati / Black Iridium – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute Gen 2 Silver Ducati / Black Iridium · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute G2 Black / Emerald Sunglasses – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute G2 Black / Emerald Sunglasses · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute G2 Black Sunglasses – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute G2 Black Sunglasses · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute G2 Pearl / Black Iridium – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute G2 Pearl / Black Iridium · Sold

Oakley Minute Gen 2 Black / Persimmon (1998) – sold — Oakley Minute Gen 2 Black / Persimmon (1998) · Sold

1998 Oakley Minute Gen 2 Code Blue / Black Iridium – sold — 1998 Oakley Minute Gen 2 Code Blue / Black Iridium · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute G2 Rootbeer / Gold Iridium – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute G2 Rootbeer / Gold Iridium · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute G2 Polished Rootbeer / Gold Iridium – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute G2 Polished Rootbeer / Gold Iridium · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute G2 Silver / Black Iridium – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute G2 Silver / Black Iridium · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute Gen 2 FMJ Platinum / Gold Iridium – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute Gen 2 FMJ Platinum / Gold Iridium · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute Gen 2 FMJ Red / Fire Iridium – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute Gen 2 FMJ Red / Fire Iridium · Sold

Oakley Minute Gen 2 Code Blue – sold — Oakley Minute Gen 2 Code Blue · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute Gen 2 Black / Black Iridium Sunglasses – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute Gen 2 Black / Black Iridium Sunglasses · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute Gen 2 w/Flower Sunglasses – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute Gen 2 w/Flower Sunglasses · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute Gen 2 Violet Frame Sunglasses – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute Gen 2 Violet Frame Sunglasses · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute Gen 2 Silver Frame Black Iridium Sunglasses – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute Gen 2 Silver Frame Black Iridium Sunglasses · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute Gen 2 Baby Powder Black Iridium – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute Gen 2 Baby Powder Black Iridium · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute Gen 2 Tangerine w/Flower Sunglasses – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute Gen 2 Tangerine w/Flower Sunglasses · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute Gen 2 Rootbeer Gold Iridium Polarized Sunglasses – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute Gen 2 Rootbeer Gold Iridium Polarized Sunglasses · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute Gen 2 Polished Rootbeer Sunglasses – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute Gen 2 Polished Rootbeer Sunglasses · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute Gen 2 Jet Black Sunglasses – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute Gen 2 Jet Black Sunglasses · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute Gen 2 Royal Blue Sunglasses – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute Gen 2 Royal Blue Sunglasses · Sold

Generation not marked

Oakley Minute Tortoise – sold — Oakley Minute Tortoise · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute Brown – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute Brown · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute Black / Black Iridium – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute Black / Black Iridium · Sold

2001 Oakley Minute Tortoise / Black Iridium Sunglasses – sold — 2001 Oakley Minute Tortoise / Black Iridium Sunglasses · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute · Sold

Oakley Minute Black and Eye Jacket Moss – sold — Oakley Minute Black and Eye Jacket Moss · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute Electric Blue / Black Iridium Sunglasses – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute Electric Blue / Black Iridium Sunglasses · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute Black / Black Iridium, Style 2 – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute Black / Black Iridium, Style 2 · Sold

2000's Oakley Minute Tortoise – sold — 2000's Oakley Minute Tortoise · Sold

1999 Oakley Minute Bright Orange Tortoise / Gold Iridium Sunglasses – sold — 1999 Oakley Minute Bright Orange Tortoise / Gold Iridium Sunglasses · Sold

Oakley Minute Silver Frame Black Iridium Lens Sunglasses – sold — Oakley Minute Silver Frame Black Iridium Lens Sunglasses · Sold

Oakley minute royal blue – sold — Oakley minute royal blue · Sold

Oakley Minute Silver Frame Sunglasses – sold — Oakley Minute Silver Frame Sunglasses · Sold

Oakley Minute FMJ Black Iridium Sunglasses – sold — Oakley Minute FMJ Black Iridium Sunglasses · Sold

Sizing

We do not publish a lens–bridge–temple figure for the Minute yet. The numbers are printed on the inside of the temple, and we would rather leave the field empty than repeat a measurement we have not read off a piece ourselves.

If you are looking at a Minute on this site and need the sizing before you buy, write to 16.88studiocontact@gmail.com and we will read the temple and send you the numbers and a photograph of them.

What to check on a Minute before you buy one

Generation. Gen 1 and Gen 2 are not interchangeable for lenses or for look. If a listing does not say which one it is, ask.
The temple etching. The model and the reference are printed on the inside of the temple. A pair that cannot show you that engraving is a pair you should ask more questions about.
Lens condition against frame condition. On a frame of this age the lens usually goes before the frame does. A pristine frame with a scratched lens is a normal, honest piece; a pristine lens on a beaten frame is worth a second look.
Nose pads and temple tips. These are consumables and they are commonly replaced. We say so in the description when they are not original.

In the studio now

Related pieces listed today. Each one leaves this list the moment it sells.

Everything listed now

2000 Oakley Water Jacket New Blue / VR28 Sunglasses

€295

Regular price Sale price €295

Looking for one

Minutes come and go here, usually one at a time. Whatever is available is in the eyewear section of the shop; if nothing is listed, the frame you want has sold and another will turn up.

Write to us with the generation and colourway you are after and we will look for it. That is what Sourcing is.

Sources

Oakley, Inc. Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2000, filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Item 1, Business: eyewear products table (date introduced, US suggested retail price), eyewear and apparel text; Item 7. www.sec.gov Consulted 30 Sep 2026.
Oakley, Inc. Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2002, filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on 31 March 2003. Item 1, Business: eyewear products table (Jackets and Wires); apparel. www.sec.gov Consulted 30 Sep 2026.

Counts, colourways and the years in our listings come from pieces photographed in hand in the studio. Dates of introduction come only from the sources above.

Written in Barcelona at 16.88studio, an archive and resale project working with technical and branded sportswear from the late 1990s and early 2000s. Corrections with a source are welcome: write to us.