Ceramic could return to the Apple Watch with Series 12

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Apple is planning to bring the ceramic Apple Watch case back, according to Mark Gurman’s Power On newsletter. He says the company is plotting the return of a ceramic option either this year or next, which puts it in play for the Series 12 in September or the 2027 model. Gurman did not narrow it down further, so a ceramic Series 12 is possible rather than planned.

What else is expected this year

The ceramic case is one part of a fairly small update. Gurman says this year’s watches will add new color and band options along with health and fitness improvements, and the headline internal change is a new chip, the first meaningful speed bump since the Series 10. He has also said Apple is testing only three watches for 2026, the Series 12 in Wi-Fi and cellular versions plus the Apple Watch Ultra 4, with no new SE.

Ceramic has come and gone twice already

Apple has never kept ceramic in the lineup for long. It arrived as the top-tier Edition finish, disappeared, came back, and then vanished again.

The material itself was compressed zirconia and alumina powder polished with a diamond slurry, which Apple said made it four times as hard as stainless steel. Six years after it was dropped, the white ceramic Series 5 is still one of the more sought-after Apple Watches on the resale market.

The price is the real question

Ceramic was always the most expensive Apple Watch, and nothing about the process has gotten cheaper. For context, the current lineup starts at $399 for an aluminum Series 11, $699 for titanium, and $799 for the Ultra 3. The last ceramic model cost $1,299.

No pricing has leaked for a ceramic Series 12. What is clear is that this would be a finish for people who want a more expensive watch, not a feature upgrade for everyone else.

A bigger rethink is happening behind it

Gurman also reports that Apple’s industrial design team has spent the past year reconsidering what a smartwatch should be, in response to smart rings and screenless fitness bands. Ideas under discussion include a round display, a tracker with no screen at all, cheaper models below the SE, and premium tiers above the Ultra and Hermès versions. Apple has not settled on a direction, and Gurman called a round watch unlikely to ship.

That makes ceramic a stopgap of sorts. Until Apple decides what the next Apple Watch actually looks like, new materials and colors are the easiest way to make an unchanged design feel new.

Series 12 and Ultra 4 are expected at Apple’s September event, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models and the first foldable iPhone. If ceramic misses that date, 2027 is the next window.

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