I went and looked and you guys are right, some have the gold ring, some don't. All the conventional rifle scopes do. The Tactical ones don't. My benchrest does.
I'd still like to know where Leupold gets their internals. I wonder if, like Vortex, the glass is LOE and the internals are sourced whereever.....
The markup on optics is insane anyway.
I keep getting spam mails from an outfit that does watches so I bit and ordered one, A Rolex Oyster day-date in stainless. I have a Rolex, a real Oyster day-date and putting the watches side by side, you can't tell the difference, even the second hand moves in the trademark 1/3 second movement, just like the original. Only difference is I paid 150 bucks for the imposter and 4500 for the real thing. Even the wristband has the same links and the Rolex trademark on each segment and the clasp.
I'm sure a Rolex dealer can tell, but I can't.
Interesting how well the orientals can copy something.
I leave the good one at home in the safe and wear the imposter, only I know.