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Glossary

Cerachrom

A plain-language definition of Cerachrom — what it is and why it matters on a Rolex.

Cerachrom is Rolex's patented ceramic bezel material, introduced in 2005. It is virtually scratch-proof and does not fade in sunlight or seawater, which is why modern Rolex sport bezels hold their colour for decades. The name combines ceramic and chroma (colour).

The longer version

Rolex makes each Cerachrom insert from a single block of hard ceramic, then engraves the numerals and graduations and coats them with a thin layer of gold or platinum. The markings are part of the material rather than painted on top.

The advantage over older anodised-aluminium inserts is durability: Cerachrom resists scratches from everything short of diamond and is unaffected by UV, chlorine, or salt water.

Where it appeared first

The first Cerachrom bezel debuted in 2005 on the yellow-gold GMT-Master II 116718LN. The harder-to-make two-colour Pepsi Cerachrom followed in 2014 on white gold, reaching steel in 2018. A black-bezel modern Submariner or GMT-Master II (the 'LN' suffix) has a Cerachrom insert.

Cerachrom FAQ

Cerachrom, answered.

What is Cerachrom?

Cerachrom is Rolex's patented ceramic bezel material, introduced in 2005. It is virtually scratch-proof and does not fade in sunlight or seawater, so the bezel keeps its colour for decades.

When did Rolex start using Cerachrom?

Rolex introduced Cerachrom in 2005 on the yellow-gold GMT-Master II 116718LN. The two-colour Pepsi Cerachrom followed in 2014 on white gold and reached steel in 2018.