Have ceramic watches ever caught your eye, but you don’t really know where to start? Don’t worry – I’ve got you covered with eight of the best you can get in 2026.
In the watch industry, I believe case materials can often be narrowed down to three distinct categories. The first is standard stainless steel, which has served as the backbone of the watch world for time immemorial. The second is precious metals, with gold in all its forms, silver and platinum falling under this classification.
Finally, you have your technical materials, whose use challenges the conventions of traditional watchmaking. Titanium, carbon fibre and tantalum certainly belong in this category, but perhaps the most intriguing material among them is ceramic.
Ceramic, like watchmaking itself, bridges the gap between industrial purpose and fine artistry. It is industrial in the sense that it can prove as suitable for a spaceship as it is for your toilet, yet artistic in the same way that fine earthenware and porcelain can be. Thus, the bond between ceramics and horology is inextricable, thanks to the material’s versatility, light weight, vibrant colours, and, most importantly, incredible resistance to scratches and scuffs.
Over the last few years, we’ve seen quite the uptick in ceramic timepieces, spanning a range of price points and levels of craftsmanship. With that, we thought it would be appropriate to chronicle a few of the very best we’ve seen thus far. So, fire up your reading eyes as we take you through eight of the most impressive models you can get in 2026.
Earthen Co. Summit MK II Dune Devil
As you’ll soon detect from this list, ceramic watches are not for the faint of heart or the light of wallet. Few brands take exception to this rule, given the complexity of ceramic manufacturing. However, that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.
Meet Earthen Co., a rapidly emerging microbrand based in Hong Kong. Founded in 2025 by Jonathan Chan and Stanley Ho, the brand was built on the belief that high-quality watchmaking shouldn’t remain inaccessible to budding enthusiasts. Now, they’re helping make the often-pricey case material available to a wider, entry-level audience.
The Summit MK II Dune Devil represents the newest rendition of the brand’s inaugural Summit series, outfitted with a 38mm beige case and pilot watch aesthetics. This version doesn’t stand alone, either, as Earthen Co. has diversified its range with other ceramic models in blue, white, black and green colourways.
Equipped with a reliable Miyota Cal. 9039 automatic movement and a steel case back, the Summit MK II might just be the best entry point into the ceramic watch game. For a while yet, it might even be the only one.
Reference: Earthen Co. Summit MK II Dune Devil
Price: AU$1,326
For more information: Earthen-Co.com
Maurice Lacroix Aikon Ceramic White
Speaking of accessible luxury, Maurice Lacroix has been waging war on that front for quite some time. Evolving from the brand’s 1990s Calypso line, the Aikon collection has distinguished itself through its integrated bracelet construction and numerous reinterpretations. Whether it’s the recent Aikon-IC models from Geneva Watch Days, the quartz-powered and recycled ocean plastic #tide models, or the unbelievably intricate Master Grand Date renditions, Maurice Lacroix’s standout staple has come in countless forms.
Allow us to take you back to 2024, though, as that’s when the brand added the Aikon Ceramic to its permanent catalogue. Available in a black 42mm reference and a white 39mm version, both models showcase careful consideration in their case construction, thanks to the use of the brand’s own Technical Ceramic.
Offering greater resistance to shattering and colour fading than the standard material, each watch gives its owner the confidence to wear it through the rigours of daily life. Of the two, my favourite is the white model, complete with the Sellita-based Cal. ML115 automatic movement for added reliability on the go.
Reference: AI6007-CRM72-130-7
Price: CHF 2,990
For more information: MauriceLacroix.com
Rado Captain Cook Discover Red
Next on the list perhaps isn’t surprising at all for those familiar with Rado’s stake in ceramics. After all, what kind of guide would this be if we didn’t include the Master of Materials themselves? Pioneers of scratch-resistant watchmaking, Rado has defined itself through its use of ceramic cases and neo-futuristic aesthetics.
The latest addition to that legacy is the Captain Cook Discover collection, released relatively recently at the time of writing. While the Captain Cook is typically recognised as a dive watch, the Discover takes Rado’s flagship line into the realm of contemporary, sporty watchmaking. With a 40.7mm case and bracelet made almost entirely from the brand’s proprietary High-Tech Ceramic, the new model line is destined to look as good years from now as it did on the day of purchase.
Pair that with 150 metres of water resistance and the reliable 80-hour Cal. R763 automatic movement, and you’re looking at a demure yet dependable stunner of a watch. Of the five references released, the red model is my absolute weapon of choice, as it was for Sam when he got hands-on with it. Keep an eye out for that review in the future…
Reference: R32279332
Price: AU$6,550
For more information: Rado.com
Bell & Ross BR-03 Green Radar Ceramic
I know I just covered this in its own press release, but I’m honestly so happy to see it back that I had to include it here. Since 2010, French brand Bell & Ross has created several iterations of its limited-edition Radar series.
Using a set of sapphire discs instead of hands, the brand has managed to create a watch that replicates the look and display of an aircraft’s radar instrument. Over the years, the concept has evolved beyond the original BR-01, particularly through the gradual upgrades made to the red Radar series.
Now, the BR-03 Green Radar Ceramic is the latest to join the party, housed in a matte black, 41mm ceramic case. Looking as if it were ripped straight from a plane’s cockpit, the watch uses three depictions of real aircraft from Dassault Aviation to tell the time.
The Falcon business jet indicates the hours, the Rafale fighter jet tracks the minutes, and the uncrewed nEUROn drone marks the seconds. Fully luminescent against a deep green backdrop, the watch remains functional and reliable, thanks in large part to the Sellita-based BR-CAL.327 powering it behind the scenes.
Reference: BR03A-GRDR-CE/SRB
Price: AU$7,700
For more information: BellRoss.com
Chanel J12 Blue Ceramic 38mm
Aside from Rado, one of the first brands that comes to mind when discussing ceramic timepieces is Chanel. If you’re unfamiliar, the French fashion powerhouse has been making increasingly bold moves in the watch industry, including purchasing significant stakes in independent haute horlogerie brand MB&F and, most recently, entering a joint venture with Ebel alongside F.P. Journe. However, its own catalogue of watches is hardly anything to turn your nose up at, as the Chanel J12 collection immediately demonstrates.
A unisex sports watch, the J12 has been part of Chanel’s lineup since the late 1990s and early 2000s. Praised for its highly scratch-resistant case construction, the collection has continued to expand, with a blue rendition joining its black and white counterparts in April. At 38mm, this reference is decidedly more demure, with a matte finish, steel bezel and polished Arabic numeral indices.
It’s more than just a fashion statement, however, as the automatic Cal. 12.1 is COSC-certified as a chronometer and offers a 70-hour power reserve. Furthermore, it was developed in association with Kenissi, in which Chanel holds a substantial stake, also manufacturing movements for Tudor and Breitling.
Reference: H11684
Price: AU$13,900
For more information: Chanel.com
Zenith Defy Skyline Chronograph Black Ceramic
Though Zenith is better known for its chronograph movements than its adventurous choice of materials, that doesn’t mean the brand hasn’t explored the world of ceramic watchmaking. Earlier this year at LVMH Watch Week, it unveiled a new interpretation of its modern Defy Skyline Chronograph in black ceramic.
While this isn’t the brand’s primary focus, it’s not the first time we’ve seen Zenith experiment with the material. In fact, last year, as part of its 160th anniversary celebrations, the brand unveiled another rendition in blue ceramic to mark the occasion.
Unlike that limited edition, however, the black version is comfortably part of Zenith’s permanent lineup. Measuring 42mm in diameter, the watch leans into the brand’s understated heritage of durability and innovation, with black ceramic proving a fitting companion.
But as you might expect, it doesn’t skimp on Zenith’s reputation for exceptional high-beat chronographs. Inside, the automatic El Primero Cal. 3600 completes the package with an impressive 5Hz beat rate, a 10-second chronograph and a 60-hour power reserve.
Reference: 49.9500.3600/21.I001
Price: AU$30,300
For more information: Zenith-Watches.com
IWC Ingenieur Automatic 42 Green Ceramic
We at Watch Advice have a storied history with the Ingenieur. Ever since its reintroduction in 2023, we’ve been tracking its progress closely. It’s been a privilege to watch it grow from what was once a unique yet directionless reference in the 2010s into one of the brand’s staple models in the 2020s.
The remastered Ingenieur collection encompasses several iterations in a range of case materials, including black ceramic. However, the model I want to focus on today is the Ingenieur 42 in green ceramic, released at this year’s Watches & Wonders. As a lifelong fan of the Halo games, the watch immediately gave me Master Chief vibes, with its bold proportions, deep green tones and gold accents that really elevate the design.
Despite its substantial size at 42mm in case diameter, the ceramic case helps offset the watch’s imposing frame with its lighter weight, while the Cal. 82110 keeps the entire operation running behind the scenes. It even has a unique edge over many of its peers in the collection as one of the few Ingenieur models to feature a display caseback!
Reference: IW38902
Price: AU$37,200
For more information: IWC.com
Bianchet UltraFino Tonneau Tourbillon White Ceramic
Finally, I have to top the list with one of my personal favourite models from this year’s Geneva Watch Days. Though I initially fell in love with it while writing about it from home, I never thought I’d get the opportunity to see it in person. But that’s exactly what happened when I met the brand in Geneva, with the UltraFino Tonneau Tourbillon White Ceramic laid in front of me.
While the tonneau case is a familiar silhouette throughout the luxury sports watch world, Bianchet’s approach to the shape takes on a life of its own. In that, the use of the case material speaks volumes about their commitment to exceptional independent haute horlogerie. The lightweight ceramic works perfectly with the watch’s remarkably thin profile, while the blue accents on the rubber gasket and openworked, skeletonised dial lend it a distinctive, luxury yacht-like aesthetic.
And it’s not all flash, either, as the Cal. UT01 remains an absolute monster. Despite its intricate skeletonisation and tourbillon complication, the movement can withstand forces of up to 5,000 G and still manages to garner a 60-hour power reserve.
