Exhibit 4(a)
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<S>                                                                       <C>
                                  NUMBER                                              SHARES
                               COMMON STOCK                                        COMMON STOCK

                                                       THE GILLETTE COMPANY
                            ----------- INCORORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE ----------
                                          THIS CERTIFICATE IS TRANSFERABLE IN NEW YORK, NY
                                                                                                                  CUSIP 375766 10 2

                                                                                                          SEE REVERSE FOR
                                                                                                        CERTAIN DEFINITIONS

This is to Certify that

is the owner of

                     FULLY PAID AND NON-ASSESSABLE SHARES OF THE COMMON STOCK WITH THE PAR VALUE OF $1.00 EACH
                                                                                                    -----

of The Gillette Company transferable upon the books of the Corporation by said owner in person or by duly authorized attorney,
upon the surrender of this Certificate properly endorsed. This Certificate and the shares represented hereby are issued and
shall be held subject to all of the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation and all amendments
thereto, copies of which are on file with the Transfer Agent. This Certificate is not valid unless countersigned by the
Transfer Agent and registered by the Registrar.
   In Witness Whereof, the Corporation has caused facsimiles of the signatures of its proper officers and of its seal to be
hereunto affixed.                                                         Dated
                                                                                                             The Gillette Company,
                                                                          By
                                /s/ Gail Suter                                            /s/ James M. Kilts
                                              TREASURER                                       CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD AND
                                                                                              CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

COUNTERSIGNED AND REGISTERED:
        THE BANK OF NEW YORK
                                     TRANSFER AGENT
                                     AND REGISTRAR,

BY      /s/ John R. XXXXXXXXX
                               AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE
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        This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to
certain Rights as set forth in the Renewed Rights Agreement between The Gillette
Company (the "Company") and The Bank of New York, the terms of which are hereby
incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal
offices of the Company. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights
Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and will no
longer be evidenced by this certificate. The Company will mail to the holder of
this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement, as in effect on the date of
mailing, without charge promptly after receipt of a written request therefor.
Under certain circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, rights
beneficially owned (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) by any
Person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate
thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement), whether currently
held by or on behalf of such Person or by any subsequent holder, may become null
and void. The Rights shall not be exercisable, and shall be void so long as
held, by a holder in any jurisdiction where the requisite qualification to the
issuance to such holder, or the exercise by such holder, of the Rights in such
jurisdiction shall not have been obtained or be obtainable.

                             THE GILLETTE COMPANY

        The Corporation will furnish without charge to each holder of any
security of the Corporation who so requests a statement of (a) the powers,
designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other
special rights of each class of securities or series thereof and the
qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights
and (b) the terms upon which, including the time or times at or within which,
and the price or prices at which, shares of capital stock may be purchased from
the Corporation upon the exercise of any right, option or other security of the
Corporation evidenced by this certificate, which statement is incorporated
herein by reference.

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        The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face
of this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full
according to applicable laws or regulations:
    <S>                                                 <C>
    TEN COM   - as tenants in common                    UNIF GIFT MIN ACT -            Custodian
    TEN ENT   - as tenants by the entireties                                --------------------------------
    JT TEN    - as joint tenants with right of                              (Cust)                   (Minor)
                survivorship and not as tenants                             under Uniform Gifts to Minors
                in common                                                   Act
                                                                                ----------------------------
                                                                                         (State)

                   Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.

        FOR VALUE RECEIVED, _________ HEREBY SELL, ASSIGN AND TRANSFER UNTO

PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER
    IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE
______________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
                         PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS INCLUDING POSTAL ZIP CODE OF ASSIGNEE
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  SHARES

OF THE CAPITAL STOCK REPRESENTED BY THE WITHIN CERTIFICATE, AND DO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY CONSTITUTE AND APPOINT _____________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY SO TRANSFER THE SAID STOCK ON THE BOOKS OF THE WITHIN NAMED CORPORATION WITH FULL POWER OF SUBSTITUTION IN THE PREMISES.

DATED: _____________________


                                                                                __________________________________________________

NOTICE: THE SIGNATURE TO THIS ASSIGNMENT MUST CORRESPOND WITH THE NAME AS
WRITTEN UPON THE FACE OF THE CERTIFICATE IN EVERY PARTICULAR, WITHOUT
ALTERATION OR ENLARGEMENT, OR ANY CHANGE WHATEVER.


Signature(s) Guaranteed: ___________________________________________________________________________
                         THE SIGNATURE(S) SHOULD BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION,
                         (BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH
                         MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM), PURSUANT
                         TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15.
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