Rowe Price. Now it’s opening more stores around the country and continuing its quest to be a true competitor to Luxottica, the Italian eyewear company that controls much of the industry.

The device would carry a higher price tag. Some employees involved in the project expect the Hypernova glasses to cost around $1,000, compared with a $299 starting price for the current Meta Ray-Bans.

Luxottica owns nearly every popular sunglass brand sold worldwide, as well as Sunglass Hut itself, where much of that eyewear is for sale. Luxottica's brands include icons like Ray-Bans and Persol ...