$500,000,000 Gillette CoreNotessm		Filed under Rule 424(b)(2), Registration Statement No. 333-86336 Pricing Supplement No. 012 - dated December 6, 2002 (To Prospectus dated July 10, 2002, and Prospectus Supplement dated August 23, 2002)

Purchasing

Proceeds,

Interest

Interest

Stated

Survivor’s

CUSIP

Aggregate Principal

Price to

Agent’s

Before Expenses,

Rate

Payment

Maturity

Option

Number

Amount

Public(1)

Discount/

to

Per Annum

Frequency

Date

Commission(1)

Gillette(1)

(begin date)

37576GAM2

$6,106,000

100%

1.50%

98.50%

5.00%

quarterly

12/17/2012

Yes

3/15/2003

Redemption Information: Redeemable at the option of The Gillette Company on 12/15/2003 and each Interest Payment Date thereafter at a price equal to 100%.

Other/Additional Provisions:

				The Gillette Company Prudential Tower Building Boston, MA 02199		Trade Date: December 6, 2002 Original Issue Date: December 11, 2002 Minimum Denominations/Increments: $1,000/$1,000 Original Issue Discount Note: No All trades settle without accrued interest and clear SDFS: DTC Book-Entry only Merrill Lynch DTC Participant Number: 5132		Merrill Lynch & Co. Purchasing Agent Acting as Principal
						(1) Expressed as a percentage of the aggregate principal amount. “CoreNotessm” is a service mark of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.