New Apple Watch Series 12 features 3D printed recycled titanium case
Multinational tech company Apple is continuing to expand the integration of 3D printed components in its products. Not only did the company make headlines this week with the launch of its foldable iPhone Duo with 3D printed hinge covers, it has also unveiled its latest Apple Watch, the Series 12, which comes with new case options including a 3D printed titanium case.
The new Apple Watch integrates a host of new functional features, including the new Health Sensing System and S11 chip that enable more accurate heart rate measurements and a whole new metric, the “readiness score”. Another new capability is Audio Intelligence, which Apple will roll out this year for the Apple Watch 12. Already somewhat controversial, this feature will enable users to listen back to snippets of their conversations, which will be recorded using a built-in microphone.
From an aesthetic perspective, the new wearable health monitoring device has also been upgraded, with many new options for customization. Looking at the case alone, customers can choose from an array of different materials and finishes. These include aluminum cases in dark bronze, black, light gold, and space gray; a new ceramic case in pearl white or night blue; and titanium cases in either a natural or gold finish. As far as we know, just the titanium cases are made using additive manufacturing and are made from 100% recycled titanium. The wearable also comes with a range of different band options, including designer editions.
Apple’s use of AM goes back some years now and the company has shown its commitment to using the technology to support its product performance and sustainability goals. Back in 2023, for instance, it was revealed that Apple was testing out metal binder jetting for the serial production of the Apple Watch Series 9 case. Then last year, the first products with titanium 3D printed parts were released: the iPhone Air with a 3D printed titanium USB-C port, and the Apple Watch 11 with a 3D printed titanium case. In the case of the Apple Watch Series 9, the use of 3D printing enabled Apple to minimize the consumption of raw material compared to previous generations.
“A 50% drop is a massive achievement—you’re getting two watches out of the same amount of material used for one,” said Sarah Chandler, Apple’s VP of Environment and Supply Chain Innovation. “When you start mapping that back, the savings to the planet are tremendous.”
To date, Apple hasn’t disclosed which specific 3D printing technology it is using to produce the titanium cases, however we do know that it operates a number of metal 3D printers each with a six laser configuration. We also know it uses a recycled titanium powder with particles measuring 50 microns in diameter. Metal AM has also delivered functional benefits for the Apple Watch cases, like the ability to print textures that improve the bonding between the case and a split filled with plastic that waterproofs the antenna housing in cellular models.
For the AM industry, it is exciting to see a company as influential as Apple roll out 3D printed products and demonstrate very publicly the benefits it offers. And the Apple Watch cases, USB-C ports, and hinge covers are just the beginning. As Chandler said: “We’re extraordinarily committed to systems change. We’re never doing something just to do it once—we’re doing it so it becomes the way the whole system then works. Our North Star has always been to design products that are better for people and planet. When we come together to innovate without compromise across design, manufacturing, and our environmental goals, the benefits are exponentially greater than we could ever imagine.”
The new Apple Watch Series 12 is now available for pre-order and will officially become available on September 18, 2026.
