126710 Pepsi MK3 Bezel! Could it be?

[Chadridv]

First off, this isn't a big deal to me, I just find it interesting.  If you don't believe there are variations to the bezel insert colors I think you're color blind lol, if you don't care just click on.  Either way, please leave the negativity at the door and just be happy this isn't another investment, availability or "is it safe" thread

So here's the story.  Stopped by to visit a buddy at the AD the other day.  They just got in a BLRO (obviously already sold lol).  But he took a look at my BLRO and was like dude, wanna see something weird?  I of course said... "always!".

So rewind real quick.  I bought my BLRO Dec 2018.  I was almost 100% convinced it was the newer darker "MK2" bezel.  Pic after pic after pic I was more convinced, finally seeing someone else's MK1 in person I knew for sure it was an MK2.
My Watch as a ReferenceCamera

FLASH


SHADE


DIRECT SUN


So my friend takes out this watch (the date is 9/15/19)

We both sit there for several minutes examining the watches, and I’m telling you from about half the angles the bezel looked black!  It’s darker than any other bezel insert I’ve seen.  So I immediately say, I think this is a third variation.  He disagrees and says this is the “MK2” and I have an “MK1”.
We continue to look it over and eventually go on with catching up and talking watches.

(my watch on the right)





So today, I get a message from him and he tells me he has two customers in the store, 1 with a bezel identical to mine, 1 with a bezel much lighter “almost purple” and the brand new one in the store.  He swears there are three color variations.

He’s not the type of guy to go throwing around MK1, MK2, MK3 etc. but he straight up says with 100% certainty, the three bezel inserts he’s looking at are three different color variations.

Pictures he's sent me...

Supposedly MK1, MK2 and MK3

MK1 & MK2


It’s a little hard to tell from his picture, but you can kind of see it.  More importantly he’s not a bullshitter and he’s been working at a Rolex AD for a while and seen many BLROs come through.

It seems more apparent when you isolate my watch alone.  I say this because I still believe that it is a MK2 bezel.  But when you see it next to the one in the store it's obvious there is a huge difference.

Now There are really only three hypotheses here:

1. There’s now an MK3 Bezel

2. This particular watch (the supposed MK3) is simply flawed.

3. There’s even more than three variations simply because the process of creating the inserts is so unstable, it’s unlikely to get identical color hues.

Just thought I’d share!

GO!

[russ86]

Very interesting, thanks for sharing

[broham84]

I have MK II, but prefer MK I

[P1nky_Up]

That’s pretty neat. Even the numbers on the bezel look more white than mk1 and mk2. Curious to see if more pop up like this.

[MSchu]

Dye lot variations suck, and its usually a quality control issue... name what ever you want, mk1 mk2 mk43... i

[10klakes]

As more members see it for themselves, it will finally become accepted. I was saying it last year and many members told me I was lying, playing tricks with the lights, video camera, etc. My point was then, and still is now, more than one version exists.... how many? TBD-

How long till moderators lock this thread?

[StackLexus17]

I also think the dye can change with the different watch runs. This so called “MK3” looks too close to the MK2 to be considered anything that new.

Just an opinion no facts to back that up.


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[drees]

I got "the call" last month. My AD definitely caught me off guard. The blue is a dark navy in most lighting conditions. I love the red (white) & blue. I prefer it darker vs lighter...but that's me.


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[mrcsatx]

Very interesting and fun to discuss. I think in some light, the MK2 looks like the MK1 shade of color. Here is my MK2 when the light hit it just right and I was like, " WTF, my Pepsi is purple". I don't care and it's fun to see how the light changes it.

Maybe Rolex is just messing with us and laughing their asses off.

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[tie219]

All three look pretty great to me

[cleanupinaisle3]

You sure this ain't the 2020 Baselworld Coke they accidentally shipped? haha

Thanks for posting!


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[othertbone]

This is very interesting, thank you for sharing!

I have never been a new pepsi guy because I didn't like the pink and purple looking bezel. If there truly is an mk3 dial, then maybe Rolex finally figured a way to get the colors right. That would be something I'd be interested in.

Thank the heavens that the pepsi is no longer popular, and I can just go in to any AD in town tomorrow and pick one or two up!

[STEELINOX]

Instead of "MK" just say, "Super hot" = lighter color blue, and "hot-diggity," = darker blue, and lastly and all in between, "The kiln glow just got lit, and the insert color drums were exposed to 'room temp air' for 30 minutes while the employee was looking at TRF on his phone app = Purple colored inserts ~ !

[Heff]

I can definitely see a difference. Would love to see them in person. Think I like the MK2 version best.


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[Rodrigo082]

Originally Posted by MSchu

Dye lot variations suck, and its usually a quality control issue... name what ever you want, mk1 mk2 mk43... i

I agree with you - it’s quality control at the end.
Can you image if something like that happened to a different brand? Folks were shouting the brand lauded...

[climblaw25]

there is a definitely a "lighter" Mk1. Perhaps in time it will become more valuable (limited run, perhaps initially less popular compared to the more produced mk2/mk3. . .)

[Chewbacca]

Hide this thread from Padi.

[Brian Page]

This is very interesting, I'm picking up mine a week from Saturday, can't wait to compare with this thread.

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[Rolex215]

very interesting. Thanks for the pictures

[gtnator]

Originally Posted by mrcsatx

Very interesting and fun to discuss. I think in some light, the MK2 looks like the MK1 shade of color. Here is my MK2 when the light hit it just right and I was like, " WTF, my Pepsi is purple". I don't care and it's fun to see how the light changes it.

Maybe Rolex is just messing with us and laughing their asses off.

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Nice watch, like your Denali too.

[gtnator]

The more noticeable (to me) thing about the MK3 bezel is the numbers are a much thicker white. Anyone else notice that??

[Rolextellstime]

By the time I get mine it might be an MK6.... With the way it's going...

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[Brian Page]

Here's a picture of the one I'm picking up a week from Saturday

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[dcash0615]

This is the reason for the different variations in the colors on the ceramics bezel inserts.

3. There’s even more than three variations simply because the process of creating the inserts is so unstable, it’s unlikely to get identical color hues.

[Vaxe]

I have the mk2 and seen the mk1, this is definitely real. Mk3 being darker may be Rolex being intentional. Thanks for the report

[116710er]

Originally Posted by Rolextellstime

By the time I get mine it might be an MK6.... With the way it's going...

MK6? My aren't you the optimist....

...I think by the time I get one, they'll be discontinued...lol

[schoolboy]

Dang

Looks like you’re right to me

Thanks for sharing!

[007timer]

I don’t think you are crazy. I see variations in color.


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[grimps]

I smashed the bezel on my Pepsi soon after I got it, Mine was one of the first released back in May 2018 so it had to have been a MK 1 .
It went back to Rolex to have the bezel replaced and now I reckon I have a Mk 2 dial , I was waiting for more than 3 months for the Pepsi to be returned to me and when I asked my AD what the problem was he said that they was waiting for some more bezels.

So is this a MK1 watch with a MK2 dial?

[DocHorton]

Finally getting closer to the colors it should have been from the get-go. Your pics really highlight how terrible those initial pink/purple bezels look compared to the newer versions. I like the latest change.