Apple Returns a Ceramic Case to the Apple Watch Line

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) restored a ceramic case option to the Apple Watch with the Series 12, adding a premium material tier the company had not offered for several years.

The ceramic Series 12 is available in pearl white and a new dark blue. It sits alongside aluminium models, offered in space gray, black, light gold and bronze, and polished titanium models in radiant gold and natural. Apple also added gold to its Hermes range.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported before the event that Apple had tested both white and dark gray ceramic finishes, comparing them to the highest specification Apple Watch Series 3 offered in 2017. Apple shipped pearl white and dark blue.

The material addition arrives in a generation with no case redesign. Both the Series 12 and the Apple Watch Ultra 4 retain the shape of their predecessors, leaving finish, sensing and silicon as the differentiators.

Aluminium Series 12 models carry Ceramic Shield 2 front glass, which Apple says is 60% tougher than the Ion-X glass used previously. The Ultra 4 uses a 3D printed titanium chassis in natural and black.

Pricing starts at $399 for the 42mm aluminium GPS Series 12. Titanium, ceramic, larger sizes and cellular configurations cost more, and Apple has not published a separate entry price for the ceramic tier.

Pre orders opened on 9 September, with availability from 18 September.