Ending the 6139-6002 Gray / Black Rotating Ring Debate!

[28A]

I've read a lot of debate over the last couple of months on people being skeptical about these gray rotating rings. Here's some definitive proof.

This watch i just picked up is an Australian delivered watch with originally a faded gray rotating bezel. I have read that the Australian watches had this. I removed the rotating bezel and to my watchmaker and I's surprise it was black on the side and underneath. Just completely faded on top.

So if you come across one with a faded GRAY rotating ring, it is likely indeed legit. Provided of course, it's black on the side and underneath. 

This watch came out of 40 years of 4 generations of watchmaking in the family, it's definitely original and not aftermarket in any way.

Original..




The ring removed..





Another in from another original watch, this one black and in MUCH better shape along with another used tachy bezel.

[rossr]

Mine does not have the same provenance as yours, but;


Regards
Ross

[28A]

That one looks great mate! By provenence i'm assuming you mean history of copping a beating haha!

[seikoholic]

People debate about the grey rings?  I thought that debate was settled.

The old argument used to be about whether the gold dials ever came with a black ring.  I've owned six or seven original black ring/gold dial examples, including AFAIK the only proof-marked black/gold 6139-6001 I've ever seen.  All were, as far as I was any judge, entirely original, like Adrian's dad's original example in this shot from the 70s:



And of course my Universal Suppliers catalog, bottom row third from right:

[28A]

I actually don't know haha it was just an attention grabbing title

In saying that I guess it also helps prove the gold dial / black ring issue. But I've seen some posts about the gray / black being aftermarket.

Just tying up all the loose ends you know haha.

[seikoholic]

Nov 16, 2015 7:29:21 GMT -8 28A said:

I actually don't know haha it was just an attention grabbing title

In saying that I guess it also helps prove the gold dial / black ring issue. But I've seen some posts about the gray / black being aftermarket.

Just tying up all the loose ends you know haha.

People get confused by these because they fade, as you've seen.  Black goes to grey and then to ash grey.  Yellow goes to light yellow and eventually white.  Pogue's original rotating ring was faded to total white, and some people were convinced it was made by Seiko that way.  But as you've seen, any grey ring when flipped over will be black.  Any white ring (if genuine Seiko) when flipped over will be yellow.