It's a recent occurrence in terms of both the number of encapsulated books affected and its severity when it occurs
I've never seen a first or second generation slab with newton rings. Can someone post some examples? Every example I see, it's the new case. The slabs I still own - all second generation - have none, and the inner and outer wells touch all over. The hundreds I used to own, all first and second gen, had none. Others in this thread have intimated the same. So for me, the problem is the new case and / or the new materials.
I wish they would just fix the damn problem and not tinker. Stop tinkering, trying to minimise the problem, and fix it fully. If that means going back to old cases and or materials, just do it. If Barex isn't available anymore, if that is the cause, then find a different plastic that works. Maybe the plastics the other companies use. They don't seem to have newton rings, that I can see.
This whole thing is tedious. Pages and pages of discussion, debate, excuses, explanations. Fix the damn problem. What is so outrageous about that? Do it, for the love of God, just do it. And stop messing the paying customer about with tinkering which we're supposed to be grateful for.
@CGC Comics
Just my two pence, as they say. You're welcome to disagree / correct me if I'm wrong.