If you wanted a lightweight, scratch-resistant, highly robust, hypoallergenic wristwatch — one that could be colored — what kind of case material would you choose? Stainless steel, though the material from which the great majority of watch cases are manufactured, doesn’t necessarily check each of these boxes: it’s not particularly lightweight, and though it’s certainly robust, it scratches rather easily and isn’t completely hypoallergenic because of the presence of nickel. To color it, one needs to use a coating methodology such as PVD or DLC.
Titanium is indeed lightweight and also extremely robust, plus it’s corrosion-resistant and hypoallergenic; to color it, however, it must be anodized or coated, and chlorine and sweat can cause it to lose its color. It’s also more difficult to machine than stainless steel.
The Best White-Dial Watches Work All Year Round
No longer just for summertime fun, these pieces beg to be worn — well — whenever!It was in the early 1960s that Rado released the first watch made from a robust, lightweight material that wasn’t metallic, and the first ceramic watch was born. But what is ceramic, exactly? If your mind drifted to the type of pottery you might find in an archaeological museum or contemporary art exhibit, you’re not incorrect. Merriam-Webster defines the term “ceramic” thusly: “Of or relating to the manufacture of any product (such as earthenware, porcelain or brick) made essentially from a nonmetallic mineral (such as clay) by firing at a high temperature.”
This definition leaves room for interpretation — does a composite that contains some degree of metallic elements constitute a ceramic, for example? — but suffice it to say that in watchmaking, the term generally applies to (largely) non-metal materials that are created in a kiln. A wooden watch, for example, is not a ceramic watch, and neither is one made out of stone. A watch such as the Hermès H08 made from braided glass fiber composite coated with aluminum and slate powder might result in a horological cage match between rival editors, but for our purposes, we would consider it ceramic.
Ceramic watches carry many of the aforementioned properties — lightweight, scratch resistance, hypoallergenic properties, the ability to be colored directly, etc. — though they have their drawbacks. Whereas stainless steel or titanium will likely dent (or perhaps merely scratch) if dropped, ceramic can crack, which is difficult to repair. Furthermore, some people don’t enjoy the light weight of ceramic as opposed to that of stainless steel; in certain instances, it can feel like one isn’t wearing a watch at all, which can be disconcerting.
Nevertheless, ceramic has slowly gained popularity since its introduction in 1962 with the Rado DiaStar. In 1986, IWC introduced the Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph, which was notable not only for its complicated movement but also for its zirconium oxide case. In 1999, Chanel introduced the J12, which widened the scope of ceramic watchmaking by catering to the fashion set. In the 2000s, it was once again IWC that would continue to innovate, this time with colored ceramics within its pilot’s watch collection.
Later, in the 2020s, Swatch produced its runaway hit, the MoonSwatch, from bioceramic — a unique material composed of zirconium oxide and castor oil. Whereas most ceramic watches are relatively more expensive than their stainless steel equivalents given the difficulty of working the material, something like bioceramic allows Swatch to offer its non-metal watches for just a few hundred dollars. (On the opposite end of the playing field, of course, are Audemars Piguet grand complications with “If you have to ask”-type price stickers.) Broadly speaking, there’s never been a better time to explore ceramic watchmaking in all its lightweight glory. As brands develop new ceramic formulations and manufacturing costs come down, the market will continue to expand and more consumers will have the opportunity to own these ultra-cool timepieces.
A Dozen Excellent Ceramic Watches
Swatch X Omega MoonSwatch Mission to the Moon
Bioceramic — composed of two-thirds zirconium oxide and one-third biosourced material derived from castor oil — is unlike any ceramic you’ve likely encountered in high-end watchmaking. When Swatch teamed up with Omega, it used this lightweight yet robust material to build the MoonSwatch, a quartz-powered, colorful take on Omega’s famed space-going chronograph. Wildly collectible, it’s the Beanie Baby of modern horology and an excellent first foray into ceramic watchmaking.
Diameter: 42mm
Movement: Quartz
Water Resistance: 30m
Longines Hydroconquest
Swatch Group-owned Longines makes a Hydroconquest — its good-looking, highly robust dive watch — in a wide array of colors and sizes. This particular version switches out the more typical stainless steel housing for a black ceramic case boasting monochromatic looks and 300m of water resistance. With its matte black bezel and matching black rubber strap, it makes for a stealthy sports watch that’ll fly right under the radar.
Diameter: 41mm
Movement: Longines L888 automatic
Water Resistance: 300m
Rado Anatom Automatic
Another specialist in the realm of ceramic watches is Rado, which has been designing and producing them since the 1960s. The rectangular Anatom, which debuted in 1983, is available in numerous guises, but the black ceramic version with a matching, integrated ceramic-steel bracelet and black dial is certainly among our favorites. Measuring 32.5mm in diameter, it mixes the elegance of shaped watches with the tech-forward aesthetics of an all-black material.
Diameter: 32.5mm
Movement: Rado R766 automatic
Water Resistance: 50m
Tudor Black Bay Ceramic
As is often the case in many horological categories, it’s difficult to beat the value proposition within Tudor’s Black Bay Ceramic dive watch. Looking like a Batman-approved version of its flagship diver, it boasts a 41mm matte black ceramic housing with a matching bezel and dial. But its METAS-certified chronometer movement, 200m of water resistance and 70-hour power reserve let you know this timepiece is about much more than good looks.
Diameter: 41mm
Movement: Tudor Manufacture Calibre MT5602-1U automatic
Water Resistance: 200m
Bell & Ross BR-03 Diver Full Lum Ceramic
While Bell & Ross may be best known to many for its instrument cluster-inspired pilot’s watches, its BR-03 dive watches are just as striking, robust and downright cool. Perhaps coolest of all, however, are the “Full Lum” references such as this one: measuring 42mm, its dial is completely coated in pale-blue Super-LumiNova and features applied indices with white Super-LumiNova. Handsome as heck and wildly legible, it’s a unique tool watch that straddles several worlds.
Diameter: 42mm
Movement: Bell & Ross BR-CAL.302-1 automatic
Water Resistance: 300m
Hermès H08
While Hermès doesn’t specifically market this version of its H08 as a “ceramic” timepiece (with the exception of its ceramic bezel), its case — which is composed of a braided glass fiber composite coated with aluminum and slate powder — fits the definition. Water resistant to 100m and matched to a rubber strap, the H08 is both a sports watch and a highly capable everyday piece whose unique aesthetics set it well apart from the pack. (Its unique dial typography alone is enough to captivate the jaded collector.)
Diameter: 42mm
Movement: Hermès H1837 automatic
Water Resistance: 100m
Chanel J12 Caliber 12.1
Chanel was way ahead of the modern ceramic watch curve, having released its J12 way back in 1999. This newer version — powered by the brand’s Caliber 12.1 produced at Kenissi — is a gleaming, white-hot take on typical dive watch aesthetics. Between its white ceramic and steel case, matching white multi-link bracelet, white bezel insert and white dial with black indices, it’s a beautiful, clean design that would look perfectly at home in the Cyclades in mid-July.
Diameter: 38mm
Movement: Chanel Caliber 12.1 automatic
Water Resistance: 200m
Zenith Defy Skyline Skeleton White Ceramic
If you’re on the hunt for a modern ceramic watch without any historical baggage, Zenith’s still-relatively new Defy Skyline platform provides an excellent solution in the form of the Skeleton White Ceramic. Powered by the brand’s El Primero 3620 SK automatic hi-beat movement and featuring a skeletonized dial, it’s housed in a white ceramic case and matching bracelet that give it a distinctly futuristic bent. (It also comes with a white rubber strap if that’s more your speed.)
Diameter: 41mm
Movement: Zenith El Primero 3620 SK automatic
Water Resistance: 100m
Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Chronograph Flyback
Though the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms was one of the world’s first serially-produced, commercially-available dive watches, its more modern executions are equally as exciting as the vintage ‘50s gems. Take the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Chronograph Flyback, for example: no slouch of a timepiece at 43.6mm, its triple-register chronograph display with 30-minute and 12-hour counters features flyback capability, while its matte black ceramic case is water resistant to 300m.
Diameter: 43.6mm
Movement: Blancpain F385 automatic
Water Resistance: 300m
Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic
Roman house Bulgari has been fueling the thinness wars for more than a decade now with its groundbreaking Octo Finissimo line — but it’s the brand’s forays into unconventional materials that have yielded some of its most exciting watches. This ceramic take on the (relatively) simple Octo Finissimo Automatic is a stealthy marriage of Brutalism and haute horlogerie. The BVL 138 automatic movement within is powered by a micro-rotor to maintain thinness, making for a case that’s just 5.5mm tall.
Diameter: 40mm
Movement: Bulgari BVL 138 automatic
Water Resistance: 30m
IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUN Edition “Mojave Desert”
Leave it to the International Watch Company to combine a hard-wearing, desert-colored ceramic case with a military-inspired dial that also includes a perpetual calendar display with double moon phases. Looking like a piece of milspec kit issued to a Swiss special operations unit, it’s simultaneously extravagant and incredible. Inspired by China Lake — where U.S. naval aviation trains its pilots in the Mojave Desert — it’s programmed to keep the correct day, date, month, year and moon phase until the year 2100.
Diameter: 46.5mm
Movement: IWC 52616 Calibre automatic
Water Resistance: 60m
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar
If you’re on the hunt for the ultimate combination of ceramics and haute horlogerie, then this Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar — with its stunning, ocean-blue case and dial — is the watch for you. Its famed Grand Tapisserie pattern is overlaid with an elegant calendar display, while its integrated bracelet is fitted with a folding clasp in blackened polished steel. Measuring just 9.5mm thick, it’s one of the best expressions of colored ceramics in fine watchmaking available today.
Diameter: 41mm
Movement: Audemars Piguet Calibre 5134 automatic
Water Resistance: 20m
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