Pepsi MK Variations, colors and dates

[Tzachi]

Originally Posted by padi56

In the real world there is no real Mk stuff only on the internet yes there are a few slight colour variations but like most all ceramic items especially reds and blue when firing batch to batch there will be slight variations.

It’s all flippers way to generate fau rarity.

[2loaded]

Originally Posted by Cassian739

Yeeaaahhh we can respectfully agree to disagree.
This has to go both ways - you can't vilify me for one post yet allow other TRF members to post with impunity, almost daily, and in an incredibly condescending and judgmental manner, when they don't like or agree with something - nickname's, MK differentiation, watches being out of spec given xxx thousand seconds in a day, not using your watch as a tool, yada yada yada.




See previous comment.

Welcome to the forum.
Enjoy your stay.

[joli160]

If you use a spectrophotometer there are probably more differences to be found. So Mk1, 2, 3, 4, 5 …

[Harry-57]

Originally Posted by joli160

If you use a spectrophotometer there are probably more differences to be found. So Mk1, 2, 3, 4, 5 …

Yep. See post #2.

[chris007]

Mk1/Mk2/Mk3


Envoyé de mon iPhone en utilisant Tapatalk

[trout_thumper21]

Originally Posted by padi56

In the real world there is no real Mk stuff only on the internet yes there are a few slight colour variations but like most all ceramic items especially reds and blue when firing batch to batch there will be slight variations.

Horrible take, LOL

[Ravager135]

The bezel has really never been perfect. Rolex really willed this into production initially and there were some obvious color issues on the earliest bezels. Around 2020 Rolex seemed to have modified their process making the blue and red more "true" to the traditional aluminum Pepsi bezel, but even then it's not perfect.

I had a BLRO from 2021 that looked pretty damn good color-wise, but it was never perfect and depending on the light could vary significantly.

I don't completely agree with Padi in the sense that there clearly are differences among the bezels from 2018 to current, but I also recognize that this appears to be an ongoing process as the production gets better and better.

It seems, anecdotally, that Rolex is producing less BLROs and my hypothesis really comes down to the difficulty in getting the colors "just right" as they currently are (albeit still not perfect). For all intents and purposes, the BLRO looks great as is currently, but there's been plenty written about how they are differently from the other biceramic bezels produced by Rolex and that they appear to be more fragile.

I always liked my BLRO, but found myself wearing it far less than I wear the BLNR now.

[worldofoyster]

so far MK2 looks the best in the picture

[CaptT]

I would think that, if a portion of a population frequently takes issue with my tone/delivery/attitude, that I would take a good look in the mirror, as the saying goes. And in doing so, and because I’m a generally self-aware individual, I’d see that what I’m wearing is clearly a *MK3* BLRO, dated March 2024, And damn that thing looks good.

[espanol]

The whole manufacturing issue narrative…

First, it’s never, ever, been confirmed by Rolex. Only speculation. Nothing more.

Second, estimates would have Rolex’s revenue to be between 20-30 BILLION per year (1,200,000 watches*avg watch price of 15-18k). You mean to tell me a company that generates over 20 billion dollars per year cannot manufacture a watch bezel? Even after 10 years now of ceramic BLRO’s?

I can be gullible, but this is many levels beyond that…

[Ravager135]

Originally Posted by espanol

The whole manufacturing issue narrative…

First, it’s never, ever, been confirmed by Rolex. Only speculation. Nothing more.

Second, estimates would have Rolex’s revenue to be between 20-30 BILLION per year (1,200,000 watches*avg watch price of 15-18k). You mean to tell me a company that generates over 20 billion dollars per year cannot manufacture a watch bezel? Even after 10 years now of ceramic BLRO’s?

I can be gullible, but this is many levels beyond that…

No one is saying Rolex can't produce the BLRO bezel.

What people are discussing is that the process is more difficult than some of their other bicolor ceramic GMT bezels. Now I am not an expert in ceramics, but my understanding is that the ceramic used is slightly different from the BLNR bezel and that the bezel is also slightly more fragile. For sure, none of us knows exact numbers, but there have been countless threads on the fragility of the BLRO bezel even with routine service.

It would not be the first time Rolex has released something and changed it down the road without announcing it formally. It doesn't mean the first iteration was wrong, it just means Rolex perhaps got "better" at doing something, but in doing so it has become more difficult.

[OTX]

Originally Posted by espanol

The whole manufacturing issue narrative…

First, it’s never, ever, been confirmed by Rolex. Only speculation. Nothing more.

Second, estimates would have Rolex’s revenue to be between 20-30 BILLION per year (1,200,000 watches*avg watch price of 15-18k). You mean to tell me a company that generates over 20 billion dollars per year cannot manufacture a watch bezel? Even after 10 years now of ceramic BLRO’s?

I can be gullible, but this is many levels beyond that…

I do think Rolex is having issues making the Pepsi bezel. Only due to the fact that the Pepsi has the thickest outer metal ring surrounding the bezel compared to the other GMTs. If anything, it does confirm it’s the most fragile of the bunch. Can’t think of a reason why Rolex would make it that way if it wasn’t. It just supports imo the theory.

[Ravager135]

Originally Posted by OTX

I do think Rolex is having issues making the Pepsi bezel. Only due to the fact that the Pepsi has the thickest outer metal ring surrounding the bezel compared to the other GMTs. If anything, it does confirm it’s the most fragile of the bunch. Can’t think of a reason why Rolex would make it that way if it wasn’t. It just supports imo the theory.

Agreed. No one here knows anything for sure, but there are plenty of anecdotes that over time does become data. I was not aware of the outer metal ring being thicker, but I have seen countless threads of the BLRO bezel cracking either on the fault of the owner or just during servicing. Not to say that this doesn't happen with other ceramic bezels, but there seems to be a disproportionate collection of stories regarding the BLRO.

I never had an issue with mine. I thought the colors were fine. Fragility issues did concern me, but they weren't the reason I got rid of it for the BLNR. Ceramic bezels are not necessarily the most robust material anyway, but it's nice to know that the BLNR (again at least anecdotally) seems to have had fewer issues. And why not? Rolex made a blue/black bicolor bezel first because it was the easiest to do.

[OTX]

Originally Posted by Ravager135

Agreed. No one here knows anything for sure, but there are plenty of anecdotes that over time does become data. I was not aware of the outer metal ring being thicker, but I have seen countless threads of the BLRO bezel cracking either on the fault of the owner or just during servicing. Not to say that this doesn't happen with other ceramic bezels, but there seems to be a disproportionate collection of stories regarding the BLRO.

I never had an issue with mine. I thought the colors were fine. Fragility issues did concern me, but they weren't the reason I got rid of it for the BLNR. Ceramic bezels are not necessarily the most robust material anyway, but it's nice to know that the BLNR (again at least anecdotally) seems to have had fewer issues. And why not? Rolex made a blue/black bicolor bezel first because it was the easiest to do.

I agree no one knows for sure but I also heard stories even from ADs who worked on them. If I had to bet, there is something going on with making the Pepsi bezel.