Borna Bosnjak
The history of ceramic in watches stretches more than six decades, used in some form since 1962 with the introduction of the tungsten carbide-cased Rado DiaStar. Though tungsten carbide isn’t quite ceramic as we know it today, it marked the beginning of “scratch-proof” case materials. Omega presented its square, quartz Seamaster Black Tulip cased in cermet (a metal and carbon composite) in the ‘80s, but the plaudits for producing the first “true” ceramic watch – that is, with a case made of zirconium oxide – goes to IWC and their Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar. Famous for its lightness, biocompatibility and incredible scratch-resistance (and brittleness), the material is becoming increasingly more common, especially lately with many brands making huge improvements in terms of coloured ceramics. We’ve rounded up some of the best ceramic watches for you to have a scratch at.Bell & Ross BR-03 Black MatteInspired by cockpit-mounted aviation instruments, Bell & Ross built its brand on the ceramic-cased BR-03 and its stealthy look. The latest generation sports a 41mm, all-matte, square ceramic case, with that signature ultra-legible dial mounted on top of a Sellita SW300 calibre. It’s very much a no-frills piece, and could’ve easily gotten away with PVD-coating a steel case. But in ceramic, it’s just that much cooler. Price: US$4,100Longines Hydroconquest Black CeramicWith its oversized Arabic numerals and imposing 43mm case, the Longines Hydroconquest works even better in all black ceramic, as it reduces some of the visual bulk. Not only is the case ceramic, but similarly to Swatch Group sibling Omega, Longines also uses the compound for the dials. Paired with a knobbly, brushed bezel and fitted rubber strap, it really looks the part. The movement’s not too shabby either, opting for the Longines L888, based on ETA’s premium automatic 2892.?Price: US$4,150Rado AnatomIt’s only fitting to have an entrant from Rado on this list considering the brand’s historic contribution to the creation of ceramic watches. The Anatom only recently got a full-ceramic upgrade that extended to its bracelet, making it a thought-provoking option at a fairly affordable price point considering the competition. It’s monolithic looks are also on point with the current trend of design-driven watchmaking, with an ETA 2892-based movement powering it for up to 72 hours. Price: US$4,550Tudor Black Bay CeramicThe Tudor Black Bay is a watch that has become an undisputed modern icon, spawning many different variations of the snowflake-handed theme over the years. While most of the limelight is taken up by the 58 model, the Black Bay Ceramic certainly deserves a shout-out here. For a very fair price, you get a Master Chronometer-certified Kenissi movement, a 41mm ceramic case that’s water-resistant to 200 metres, and two straps, as well as a choice of black or Danny Ric-approved (RIP his racing career, though) RB blue. Price: US$5,150Hublot Classic Fusion Original Black MagicThe Classic Fusion has long been Hublot’s continuation of its very first watch, and the Original model tributes, well, the original, most closely. Unlike the watch from 1980, the Classic Fusion Original is also available in ceramic, and in three sizes, of which our recommendation primarily focuses on the larger two. The 38mm and 42mm models are both powered by the mid-range Sellita SW300, while the smaller 33mm only gets a quartz movement. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, as the main drawcard here is the complex, multi-finish ceramic case and minimalist dial. Price: US$7,600 (33mm), US$8,900 (38mm), US$10,400 (42mm)While the Classic Fusion is the archetypal Hublot in my eyes, I couldn’t not include the brand’s latest ceramic development – the Big Bang Unico Magic Ceramic – but as it’s limited to just 20 pieces, it only gets an honourable mention. Hublot’s pretty well-known for their materials play, but every once in a while we see the brand truly innovate. The Magic Ceramic is one such watch, being the first-ever to sport a multicoloured ceramic case. Price: US$33,000Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Black BlackIs the Black Black the most tooltastic and legible variant of the Seamaster Diver 300M? No. Is it the coolest? Abso-f’n-lutely. Despite the all-black colour scheme, the multiple finishes of the ceramic case and dial make the watch actually somewhat legible, given the shiny waves of the dial and indices contrasting against the mostly matte backdrop. The grained bezel is also a stunner with those raised numerals, and there’s not much more I can add that hasn’t been said already about Omega’s shapely lyre lugs. Powered by the METAS-certified, Co-Axial 8806 movement, you can also rest assured magnetism won’t be an issue given its 15,000 Gauss resistance rating. The coolest thing about this watch? The black lume actually glows surprisingly well. Price: US$9,500Zenith Pilot Big Date FlybackMuch of Zenith’s recent focus has been on the Defy and Chronomaster collections, meaning that, despite its recent complete redesign, the Pilot collection remains underrated. While you can go for the simpler, time-only piece, the Big Date Flyback is the one to have. Using the legendary El Primero as its base, the high-beat movement has been equipped with a big date display and flyback functions (perhaps a little redundant to say), and integrated into the dial really neatly despite its complexity. The ceramic case is just a bit of a bonus here, playing into the stealthy pilot aesthetic and not reflecting any light as to not give away your position while you’re in the cockpit. Or it’s just a neat material – whatever floats your boat (flies your plane?). Price: US$13,900Bulgari Octo FinissimoIf there was one watch I had to pick that embraced ceramic wholeheartedly, it would have to be the Bulgari Octo Finissimo. Not hailing from a traditional watchmaking house, its roots are still grounded in horological history, as its design originates from Gerald Genta’s Octagonal, becoming the Octo Finissimo through sales of naming rights. Its monochromatic design and understated dial are somewhat of a signature of the model, and the mix of textured surfaces that matte black ceramic can provide gives it the contemporary look it was always meant to have. Price: US$18,800Girard-Perregaux Laureato Green Ceramic Aston Martin EditionGirard-Perregaux’s Laureato has long been on the fringes of discussions regarding popular integrated-bracelet sport models. With its involvement with Aston Martin’s Formula 1 effort, we were treated to a duo of green ceramic-cased Laureato special editions that Zach had the pleasure of reviewing. Once again, the model strengthened its positioning as a compromise-free value proposition alternative to holy trinity models. Girard-Perregaux’s choice of ceramic colour for the case and bracelet, as well as the fact they’re incredibly affordable in comparison to similarly specced counterparts is impressive to say the least. Price: US$25,000 (38mm), US$25,800 (42mm)IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun WoodlandAs a pioneer in bringing ceramic to the mass market with the aforementioned Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar, the IWC Pilot’s collection wasn’t far behind in following suit. That was, of course, the now highly sought-after 1994 Fliegerchronograph 3705 with its black zirconium oxide case. IWC didn’t stop innovating, and one of its most well-received releases of late has been the many colours of its ceramic Pilot’s watches. You could easily go for any one of the white Lake Tahoe, creamy Mojave Desert, or cobalt Oceana, but the watch that impressed me most recently was this Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar complete with a Woodland ceramic bracelet. Apart from its rugged Pantone colour, it harks back to that Da Vinci QP I keep mentioning, tributing IWC legend Kurt Klaus with its crown-operated, preset mechanism and four-digit year display.?Price: US$56,700Louis Vuitton Tambour Brown CeramicBrown is a colour not often used in watchmaking, and when it is, it’s usually reserved for brown dials. A few watchmakers, however, have decided to apply the colour to their cases too (Audemars Piguet’s Travis Scott collab being one of them), and one of the latest is Louis Vuitton for the new Tambour Brown Ceramic. And I’m fully with Zach on this one – this watch is weird and wonderful enough that we could see it become a modern classic, especially considering it’s a time-limited production variant. The polished 18k rose gold intermittent links play so well with the brushed ceramic, and the whole new Tambour look suits this opulent hue better than any other colour variant we’ve seen. Price: US$68,000Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Blue CeramicSome watches are ceramic. Some watches are blue. Some are blue and ceramic, and the Royal Oak QP in blue ceramic is the bluest and ceramic-est of them all. Subtle is the last word I’d use to describe this watch, as it outdoes the white and black ceramic variants with its faceted azure surfaces. I can’t quite describe why I like this watch so much (though I like it enough to name it as one of the best Royal Oaks ever), but the fact that it’s a perpetual calendar totally justifies its ridiculousness in my book – though it’s all business in the back, powered by AP’s legendary, ultra-thin 5134 calibre.?Price: US$132,000
09.03.25