Ceramic Apple Watch may return soom

While the design isn’t changing one bit, one expensive and favorite material might return to Apple Watch after a seven-year absence.

It’s been nine years since the Apple Watch Series 2 debuted the material. After a back-and-forth for a few years of just white, or white and black ceramic options, Apple dropped the material entirely in 2020.

That may change soon. Apple is reportedly working on returning ceramic to Apple Watch as soon as 2026. In Sunday’s “Power On” newsletter for Bloomberg, Mark Gurman states that Apple is potting the ceramic case option’s return for the end of 2026 or in 2027.

This is the first time we’ve heard this rumor for the 2026 Apple Watch update. The original ceramic Apple Watch Series 2 was rumored for about 18 months before the material first shipped.

There isn’t much yet said about pricing in the new story. But that said, you can expect it to be very expensive.

Back in the day, when the Apple Watch Series 5 sold for $399, the ceramic edition 40mm version sold for $1299, and the 44mm fetched $1,349.

At the same time, the stainless steel with cellular model sold for $699, the titanium with cellular cost $799, and the Hermes retailed for $1,249.

On again, off again

Ceramic has been a premium option throughout the history of the Apple Watch. However, when it was sold, it didn’t hang around for that long after.

It first appeared in the Apple Watch Edition Series 2, with a white ceramic case option. The Apple Watch Edition Series 3 included a Gray ceramic case option alongside the white.

However, the Edition series was missing for the Apple Watch Series 4 in 2018.

The material option was revived for the Apple Watch Edition Series 5 the following year, but it was a brief appearance. It was gone again for the Series 6, and hasn’t reappeared since.