Ichiro Blue/Carbon Club

[CarGuy]

No what production of this Ichiro release was. How many manufactured.

 

[selannefan1]

I'll try to do my best here, but Rubyskull may have to intervene to correct me if I make any mistakes.

This production was the second gen ichiro that came after the polished blue first edition. The second gens are by far the most rare. All second gens I have seen are under 300 serial numbers which suggest that was the amount made. Further to this every pair i have seen is between 200-300 (ive seen maybe 20 over the last 10 years?) which suggests that not all of them were released and less than 100 actually exist? The lens also had major discrepancies/variations across the batches. I have 4 pairs of ichiro lens, 2 are blue/purple (or OO blue as some like to call them), 1 is a green/blue hue (which came factory direct with this pair) and 1 is a blue/purple (with ever so slight green). I installed the blue/purple (with slight green) into these as it's my favorite. I know some people who have reported to have theirs factory direct with the blue/purple (with slight green) that I have chosen to install.

 

[selannefan1]

I believe the production lines go like this:

1st Gen: Polished/OO Blue w/serial number IS##### (the first release came with a unique box print never used again).
2nd Gen: Carbon/Blue w/serial number IS 51 ##### (unique green hues which differ from the generation 1 lens).
3rd Gen: Polished/Slate w/serial number I 51###### (not all of this series came with serial numbers production towards the end of this set Lux cancelled serial numbers).
4th Gen: Polished/Emerald Slate w/serial number IS 51 ##### (probably the most frequently seen pair of ichiros most of these do not come with a serial number as only a few hit production before Lux takeover).
5th Gen: X-Metal/Slate w/serial number ICHIRO 06 #### (released as a celebration set for Ichiro winning the World Series in 2006, also frequently seen, but close to 1000 made. Needs verification, but I believe Japan exclusive).
6th Gen: Polished Carbon/Slate w/serial number IS 08 #### (arguably the sexiest pair of Ichiros and Juliets, these don a unique Polished/Carbon frame and White Rubbers unique to this series only. Close to 1500 made. Needs verification, but I believe Japan exclusive).

I could be wrong with the above, but that's to the best of my knowledge. The last 2 amounts made I could be wrong, I am just going off of the serial numbers that I've seen over the years.

 

[discostu]

Here's mine and I think its 121 but will have to check as soon as I can. I really like this particular model and was fortunate to find it.

 

[Dallas O Hog]

I hate yall

 

[wassaaaaaaaaaap]

I believe the Carbon/Blue Ichiro was the 3rd gen and polished/slate was 2nd. Oh by the way i have #251 and #218

 

[Calgary Dreaming]

The Carbon/Blue is said by some reps to have been recalled, which is why it is so rare. When asked no one at Oakley gave collectors a definitive reason why it was recalled. Adding to the mystery is back in about 2006, around a dozen pairs was listed on EBay Germany, even though the stocked was non-existant from a long time here in the good ol' US of A and Japan. Again, no one could figure where they came from, perhaps it was previous unsold stock from a distributor that no longer was in the Oakley business. It was one if those times you wished you knew German. The original photoshop picture Oakley released for the pair had hammer stems. Hammer stems would've been killer.

 

[freakface]

I believe the production lines go like this:

1st Gen: Polished/OO Blue w/serial number IS##### (the first release came with a unique box print never used again).
2nd Gen: Carbon/Blue w/serial number IS 51 ##### (unique green hues which differ from the generation 1 lens).
3rd Gen: Polished/Slate w/serial number I 51###### (not all of this series came with serial numbers production towards the end of this set Lux cancelled serial numbers).
4th Gen: Polished/Emerald Slate w/serial number IS 51 ##### (probably the most frequently seen pair of ichiros most of these do not come with a serial number as only a few hit production before Lux takeover).
5th Gen: X-Metal/Slate w/serial number ICHIRO 06 #### (released as a celebration set for Ichiro winning the World Series in 2006, also frequently seen, but close to 1000 made. Needs verification, but I believe Japan exclusive).
6th Gen: Polished Carbon/Slate w/serial number IS 08 #### (arguably the sexiest pair of Ichiros and Juliets, these don a unique Polished/Carbon frame and White Rubbers unique to this series only. Close to 1500 made. Needs verification, but I believe Japan exclusive).

I could be wrong with the above, but that's to the best of my knowledge. The last 2 amounts made I could be wrong, I am just going off of the serial numbers that I've seen over the years.

If this is correct, then it makes things a lot clearer for me. I am very confused with the releases for the ichiros but nonetheless found it as my duty to collect all ichiros (juliets only, could not care less for the radars). Glad to say i am done.
And i agree, the carbon blue is second only to the polished carbon when it comes to sexiness...

 

[selannefan1]

The Carbon/Blue is said by some reps to have been recalled, which is why it is so rare. When asked no one at Oakley gave collectors a definitive reason why it was recalled. Adding to the mystery is back in about 2006, around a dozen pairs was listed on EBay Germany, even though the stocked was non-existant from a long time here in the good ol' US of A and Japan. Again, no one could figure where they came from, perhaps it was previous unsold stock from a distributor that no longer was in the Oakley business. It was one if those times you wished you knew German. The original photoshop picture Oakley released for the pair had hammer stems. Hammer stems would've been killer.

Interesting you should say that as in 2006 or 2007 (cant remember which one) about 10+ pairs surfaced at the Ostore in Geelong, VIC (south of Melbourne in Australia). A rep for Oakley told me this but she could verify if they were gen1 or gen2 (all she knew was that they were blue lens). To make it more horrifying, one person bought them all as there were selling for warehouse prices of $250 a piece and shortly after they started appearing on eBay around the world (might be our mystery German friend).

 

[discostu]

I hate yall

Says he with the Brown Juliet