It’s back — or is it? After a seven-year absence, a ceramic case finish is reportedly returning to the Apple Watch lineup when the company launches its expected Series 12 lineup next month.

The tidbit comes from tech insider Kosutami, who posted on X, “Hell yeah, Ceramic Watch is back. We’ll see it at Series 12.” That backs up a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman earlier this month, which also said there would be a ceramic edition. Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

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If it happens, the ceramic finish will debut with several other products expected to launch at the next Apple event, which could take place as early as Sept. 9. Many analysts expect the company to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4 and Apple’s first foldable phone.

Rare and expensive

Apple has only intermittently had watches with a ceramic finish. The first one, in white, came with the Series 2 watch line in 2016, followed by a gray option with Series 3 in 2017. After taking a year off, white ceramic returned in 2019 with the Series 5. There has been no ceramic option since.

The ceramic finishes were part of Apple’s Edition line, which also featured gold and titanium watches. Apple discontinued the Edition line after its final products in 2021.

The ceramic watches weren’t cheap. The debut in 2016 cost $1,249 for the 38mm version and $1,299 for the 42mm. In 2019, the ceramic model cost $1,299 for the 40mm and $1,349 for the 44mm.

When Apple unveiled its ceramic finish a decade ago, it said the casing was a combination of zirconia and alumina. A diamond slurry was used to mold each case for a “smooth surface and an exquisite shine.” Apple said the casing was four times harder than stainless steel, making it resistant to scratches and nicks.

Jon Rettinger, a tech influencer with over 1.66 million YouTube subscribers, says the ceramic model has been his favorite version of the Apple Watch.

“While absurdly expensive, its unique look won a spot on my wrist,” Rettinger told CNET. “Every fall when they announce a new gen, a small part of me hopes ceramic comes back.”

Apple is the market leader in smartwatches, according to research firm Counterpoint. Apple accounted for 23% of all global shipments in the first quarter of the year, followed by Huawei at 17%. Apple also had a 21% growth in shipments from the previous year.