Apple is reportedly planning to bring back the ceramic Apple Watch casing with the upcoming Series 12 model, according to leaker and prototype collector Kosutami. In a post on X, Kosutami indicated that the ceramic finish will return this year, aligning with earlier predictions from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who suggested the material could make a comeback either in 2026 or 2027.

Apple first introduced the ceramic Apple Watch Edition with the Series 2 in September 2016, replacing the original gold Edition model and lowering the price from thousands of dollars to $1,249. The white ceramic finish, made from compressed zirconia and alumina powder polished with diamond slurry, was marketed as four times harder than stainless steel. A gray ceramic option followed with the Series 3, but the Edition line disappeared entirely with the Series 4 in 2018.

The white ceramic finish returned briefly with the Series 5 in 2019 alongside a titanium option, but Apple discontinued it when the Series 6 launched in 2020. The material has been absent from the lineup for six years and has become highly sought after among collectors on the resale market.

The Apple Watch Series 12 is also expected to feature a new chip for improved performance and other minor upgrades. The device is anticipated to launch alongside the Apple Watch Ultra 4, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the first foldable iPhone next month.