Apple brought ceramic back for the Series 12

Apple is bringing back its pricier, more durable option. It should be more scratch-resistant than titanium.

The is launching with a ceramic option, making it the company’s first wearable since 2019’s Series 5 that can be configured with the pricey, scratch-resistant material. It can be configured with either pearl white or night blue ceramic finishes, and it , going up to $949 if you purchase the 46mm size.

While Apple didn’t resurrect its “Apple Watch Edition” branding for the Series 12 (it in a forward-facing manner when the Series 4 launched), the new ceramic option is similarly made for high rollers who won’t mind shelling out far more than the Series 12’s $399 starting price.

It’s interesting to look back at Apple’s history of high-end case material options. While it started with an 18-karat rose or yellow gold case option for the first Apple Watch, the company switched to ceramic as its premium option for the Series 2, 3, and 5. Since 2019, each launch has offered aluminum as the most affordable option, plus either stainless steel or titanium (sometimes both) as pricier alternatives.