Another Friday, another list! This week, we will look at some of our favorite ceramic watches. In a week with Omega dropping a series of new ceramic Dark Side of the Moon models, it is good to look at some recent ceramic highlights. We have seen a rapid increase in ceramic releases from major watch brands. The great thing is that ceramic is no longer unattainable for people with a more modest budget. Ceramic watches for everyone! We picked our five current favorites to get inspired.
Before we start, here is a quick word on how we compiled this list: we decided to pick five relatively recent favorites. With a rapidly increasing number of ceramic watches, it only makes sense to focus on some standouts that came out not too long ago. All five of today’s featured watches have come out within the last two years. On top of that, we tried to mix things up in terms of genres and price points. Now, without further ado, let’s jump into this week’s Top 5!.
IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Top Gun Mojave Desert
Our opener is the wonderful Mojave Desert version of IWC’s Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41. If you keep track of the releases from IWC, you know that the Mojave Desert colorway is not new. IWC released a 44.5mm limited edition back in 2019 that sold out quickly. That already gave us a good idea of how cool a desert version of the watch was. So when the brand from Schaffhausen released a smaller variant in late 2023, Lex was more than happy to go hands-on with the popular pilot’s chronograph.
The watch features a 41.9mm matte beige ceramic case with a 15.5mm thickness and a 51.5mm lug-to-lug. Therefore, it is a fairly chunky affair and not a watch for people with smaller wrists. What I love, though, is that IWC chooses to use matte ceramic for this series of pilot’s watches. Any polished part of a ceramic watch instantly looks plasticky, whereas a matte finish eliminates that effect.
The beige case pairs nicely with a slightly darker matte brown dial with beige indexes. Hovering above the dial are similarly colored matte brown hands filled with beige Super-LumiNova. The beige rubber strap with a matching textile inlay and titanium pin buckle stylishly finishes the look.
Hiding behind the Top Gun-branded titanium case back is IWC’s in-house 69380 caliber. The automatic chronograph movement comes equipped with a column wheel, operates at 28,800vph, and offers a 46-hour power reserve. At €12,900, this Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 variant is a cool opener of the list and would be perfect for any desert adventures you might have planned.
Rado Anatom Automatic
Our second pick is from the brand that made ceramic watches a big thing back in the 1980s. I vividly remember gawking at those black ceramic Rado watches in the windows of German and Austrian shops during family holidays. That’s why Rado and, in particular, the brand’s Anatom series have a special place in my heart.
I recently had the pleasure of trying out the trio of full-High-Tech Ceramic models. Out of the three we received, surprisingly enough, my favorite wasn’t one of the black ceramic ones. Instead, it was the plasma-colored version with rose-tone details. There is something distinctive about the color and feel of that version.
The full-ceramic Anatom Automatic series features a rectangular case with a 32.5mm diameter, a 46.3mm length, and an 11.3mm thickness. This makes the watches substantial in size but still very wearable. The element that adds to the presence is the ceramic bracelet that each of these watches comes with. We have seen Anatom models on rubber straps in both darker tones and brighter, summery colors that might be a bit more easygoing. However, I prefer these full-ceramic versions because they are the real deal to me.
A softer overall look thanks to the plasma-colored ceramic
The plasma variant features a lacquered gray dial with contrasting rose gold hands and indexes. The overall look of this version is softer than the two black ones. The two-tone bracelet has plasma-colored ceramic links with rose-gold-plated steel connecting links. Additionally, the bracelet features a hidden butterfly clasp in stainless steel with rose-tone push buttons. It contributes to a cool overall look and feel that I adore.
Inside the case, Rado uses its caliber R766. This automatic movement operates at 25,200vph, has 21 jewels, and offers 72 hours of power reserve. It is the perfect power train for this rather brilliant plasma version of the Anatom Automatic, which is available for €5,100.
Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon “Dark Vader”
You didn’t think we would leave out the new Dark Side of the Moon Speedies, did you? Robert-Jan wrote the extensive hands-on intro article for all of the new Dark Side of the Moon models earlier this week. As he mentioned, we had the watches in for a few days, and I also had a chance to try the different models. From the previous series, I always liked the classic Dark Side of the Moon, and I have a healthy fascination with all things black, so the “Black/Black” model has long been a favorite. That’s why it was great to see that Omega brought both of these models back in the new series. Surprisingly enough, though, it was the new “Dark Vader” that left the best impression on me.
It could be the surprise of a new look combined with the slimmer case. I have to admit that the full-black Speedmaster can use the little hints of red and white to make it come to life. Especially the red central chronograph seconds hand pops when you look at the watch, and I love that.
It’s not all black on the Speedmaster “Dark Vader”
As Robert-Jan explained, the “Dark Vader” is slightly slimmer than the other two models thanks to the manual-winding caliber inside it. This ceramic watch measures 44.25mm × 50mm × 13.02mm, which is substantial but definitely wearable. The black ceramic case is matched with a matte black ceramic dial with a stepped perimeter. It gives the stealthy dial the necessary depth along with the two recessed sub-dials. Additionally, Omega chose black-coated white gold indexes with black Super-LumiNova to keep things dark.
The only hint of color is the red “Speedmaster” text and the red central chronograph hand. Additionally, the tachymeter scale on the bezel is white, just like the text on the dial. If you turn the watch around, you are greeted by the blacked-out version of Omega’s caliber 9908. This Master Chronometer manual-winding caliber operates at 28,800vph and offers 60 hours of power reserve.
Despite the stealthy look, Omega finished the movement nicely with arabesque Geneva waves for some visual impact. A black rubber strap with a black folding clasp rounds everything out and makes the watch a joy to wear. The new “Dark Vader” is available for €15,400, and, in my opinion, it is the coolest of the new trio of Dark Side of the Moon models.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50”
Our next pick shows that ceramic does not have to be loud and shiny. Audemars Piguet is a brand that has long had ceramic models in its collection. The bright blue ceramic Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar has become a fan favorite and one of the most recognizable Royal Oak models. But that is one of those examples that makes me frown because of the watch’s overall look. Earlier this year, though, Audemars Piguet based a series of watches on the dark blue shade of the night sky above the Swiss Vallée de Joux. Supposedly, it’s the color of the sky that inspired Gérald Genta to use the blue color for the first Royal Oak ref. 5402.
Whether that is true remains a mystery, but we can say that the dark blue ceramic Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50” is an absolute doozy. We had seen a black ceramic version with a rose-tone caliber before, but the new dark blue version beats that easily. It features a blue ceramic 41mm case matched with a dark blue integrated bracelet. This watch also has a slender 9.7mm profile and a 50m water resistance rating. The brushed and polished finishes on the case and bracelet are excellent, and they immediately increase the visual impact.
The brilliant in-house caliber 3132
But the show’s true star is the brand’s in-house caliber 3132. AP’s designers chose a rhodium-plated version of the movement with pink gold details. It makes the caliber a lot less opulent than the rose-tone version, and we prefer that. The technically impressive movement features two balance wheels and hairsprings mounted on top of each other on a shared axis. This construction improves accuracy and stability. The caliber comprises 245 parts and operates at 21,600vph while offering 45 hours of power reserve.
The open-worked bridges and rotor offer a great view of the caliber’s inner workings. As always with Audemars Piguet, the finishing is meticulous and significantly increases the impact. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50” is a staggering €101,600 but perfectly shows how well the dark blue ceramic works for the Royal Oak.
Breitling Avenger B01 Chronograph 42 Night Mission
Another example of how to make black ceramic watches look really cool came courtesy of Breitling last year. With a new series of five ceramic Avenger Night Mission models, the brand shows how well the lightweight material pairs with striking colors. The two models that stood out immediately were the B01 Chronograph 42 Night Mission models in Sand and Turquoise. The latter did so with its loud dial and strap, while the former did so with its desert look.
If you ask us, the sand-colored version is the better of the two. The watch has a 42mm matte black ceramic case with a 15.15mm thickness and a 51.21mm lug-to-lug. Its unidirectional black ceramic bezel features a 60-minute scale and the famous rider tabs that give the watch that unmistakable Breitling character. The case is also water resistant to 300 meters, making it a competent dive watch during your covert missions.
The Breitling designers matched the black ceramic case with a black carbon dial with black chronograph counters and applied Arabic numerals filled with sand-colored lume. Additional hints of the sand color can be spotted on the 30-minute counter. The watch comes on a 22mm matching military leather strap with a titanium folding clasp.
The in-house B01 caliber
You will find Breitling’s COSC-certified B01 chronograph caliber inside the case. This movement operates at 28,800vph, has 45 jewels, and offers 70 hours of power reserve. The often-praised caliber is visible through the case back’s sapphire display and controlled by the contrasting satin-finished titanium crown and pushers. They provide a little extra contrast, making this €9,400 Avenger Night Mission model look even cooler.
Honorable mention: Hublot Big Bang Unico Magic Ceramic
A list like this would not be complete without at least mentioning Hublot. The brand has been using ceramic for its cases for years and keeps pushing the boundaries regarding the material. The rather weird and wonderful Hublot Big Bang Unico Magic Ceramic proved this.
While the result is debatable in terms of style, the use of multicolored ceramic is another step into the future for the brand and the industry as a whole. Creating the Magic Ceramic bezels used for this special version of the Big Bang Unico is a complex process; it will be good to see what it leads to.
As Lex explained, Hublot is no stranger to working with exotic materials. But the multicolored bezel of this new watch was controversial. Lex played the mushroom card, while others in the comments called it a case of space measles. Surely, a polka-dot pattern on the bezel would lead to strong reactions, and I am sure that the people at Hublot knew this upfront.
But as divisive as the watch looks, the use of multicolored ceramic is far more intriguing. It will be interesting to see where this leads for Hublot because it’s hard to believe that the brand will stick to polka-dotted bezels for its watches. I’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for future releases that combine colors more subtly.
Final thoughts
There you have it, our five favorite ceramic watches from the last two years. As always, this is just a small selection out of the huge number of watches available. That’s why I want to ask you a question: what are some of your favorite ceramic watches that came out recently? Please let us know in the comments section, and we will see you next week for another Top 5!
Jorg Weppelink
2025-10-17 09:00:00