Apple is preparing to bring back a ceramic version of the Apple Watch after a six-year absence, according to leaker and prototype collector Kosutami.
The ceramic casing is expected to return with the Apple Watch Series 12 this fall. Apple had been considering bringing back the material with either this year’s model or the 2027 version, but the latest information points to a launch this year.
Ceramic has appeared only sporadically in the Apple Watch lineup. Apple introduced it with the Series 2 in 2016 as part of the premium Edition line, replacing the solid-gold models that had started at $10,000.
The white ceramic watch started at $1,249 and was made from compressed zirconia and alumina powder that Apple said was four times harder than stainless steel. A gray version joined the lineup with the Series 3 a year later.
Apple dropped both when it introduced the Series 4 in 2018, then revived the white ceramic finish for the Series 5 in 2019. It disappeared again with the Series 6 and hasn’t been offered since.
The Series 12 isn’t otherwise shaping up to be a major redesign. Apple plans to retain the general look of the current model while adding a new processor and other smaller changes. Touch ID, which had previously been rumored for the watch, isn’t coming this year.
Bringing back ceramic would give Apple another premium material to sell alongside its existing finishes without requiring a significant change to the watch itself.
The company hasn’t disclosed how it would price the model or whether ceramic would be offered alongside titanium.
Apple is expected to unveil the Series 12 next month along with the Apple Watch Ultra 4, iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, and its first foldable iPhone.
