A year after the Oura Ring 4 launched, the company introduced a new ceramic version of the wearable. As someone who has been using the original titanium version of the ring since it launched in October 2024, I was excited to get my hands on this new, stylish take on the device, which Oura says “is designed to stand up to daily life while blending style and function.”
But it wasn’t just the Oura Ring that got a glow-up; the Oura app was recently updated with a new design that gives my Android phone a touch of iOS. Both of these updates highlight how Oura is not just a health and wellness product, but also a lifestyle one, making wearable tech that blends in while also standing out.
Pretty in premium
Oura isn’t the first to bring a ceramic finish to its products, and I hope it isn’t the last. The Oura Ring 4 Ceramic takes what I think was already a winning design and steps it up a couple of notches with a material that both looks and feels quite premium when compared to the titanium Oura Ring 4.
The new ceramic finish feels incredibly soft to the touch, a stark contrast to the more rigid and titanium finishes. The difference is quite noticeable, particularly with how easily my finger glides across the ring.
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My unit is the Cloud color, which is an off-white hue, although there are three other options to choose from, including Tide (light green) and Petal (light pink). Most are pastels except for the Midnight blue option, which has a deeper hue and is probably my favorite of the lot. According to Oura, the colors were chosen “to complement a wide range of skin tones and personal styles.”
Oura also notes that the ring should retain its hue over time, thanks to a process that creates the colors “with minerals inherent to the ceramic material itself,” as opposed to using a surface color that can eventually fade.
In my use, I’ve noticed some areas where the color has seemingly been scratched off. You’ll want to avoid handling certain objects that could scratch against the ring, like a metal dumbbell. Otherwise, I normally wear a rubber “case” around the Oura Ring, and it appears to work well enough to keep it from scratching. Unfortunately, Oura still doesn’t offer first-party ring protectors, but I’ve found some on Amazon that work well.
That said, Oura does provide a Ceramic Polishing Pad, which should be able to handle scuffs and scratches to make your Oura Ring like new again, although I didn’t receive one with my unit.
If you’re comparing the Oura Ring 4 Ceramic with the titanium model, you’ll notice that the new finish makes the ring noticeably thicker and a bit heavier. The size of the ring never bothered me, although some of my friends have pointed out how they find the Oura Ring unpleasantly thick, so the new finish may not appeal to everyone despite its rather premium look.
Otherwise, the Oura Ring 4 Ceramic and titanium Oura Ring 4 are pretty much the same. There’s nothing internally different about the newer model, so you can expect the same sensor layout, tracking capabilities, and battery life.
A touch of Liquid Glass on Android
More recently, Oura introduced a new look for its app, which appears to take some design inspiration from Apple‘s Liquid Glass. It’s a much more visually-driven design, with dynamic backgrounds, transparent UI effects, new card designs, and a floating navigation menu at the bottom.
The Today view will go from day to night depending on the time of day, with background images of sunny hillsides or a starry night sky. The vitals shortcuts at the top of the view have a design that almost resembles matte glass, and as you scroll up, the UI elements will blur into the top of the display before disappearing.
Oura says the new card design “uses colors to signal your body’s different states according to your biometrics,” while the My Health view provides a more visual glance at your long-term metrics.
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The new design also puts greater emphasis on the Advisor to help you better understand your metrics and provide more insight into how your behaviors affect your long-term health and wellness.
That said, the Android version of the app is still missing a ring locator function, which is probably my number one request.
Should you buy the Oura Ring 4 Ceramic?
The Oura Ring 4 Ceramic is proof that smart wearables don’t have to sacrifice style to remain functional. Many smartwatches and smart rings can still end up looking very much like tech, while Oura is trying to balance that out with a refined sense of style.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t come cheap, with the Oura Ring 4 Ceramic priced at $499. That’s $150 more than the cheapest Oura Ring 4 color options, although it matches the price of the more expensive Gold and Rose Gold options. So, if you were already looking at the latter colors, you might want to give the Ceramic models a look. Otherwise, I would have a hard time recommending anyone spend this much on a smart ring, especially when you account for the subscription.
It’s also worth noting that the titanium Oura Ring 4 is currently on sale for Black Friday, with as much as $150 off, depending on the color.
On the plus side, the Oura Ring 4 Ceramic is still FSA/HSA eligible, so you can use that purchase one. For many people, that money is just sitting there largely unused, so you might as well spend it on something.
FAQ
How is the Oura Ring 4 Ceramic different from the titanium Oura Ring 4?
The Oura Ring 4 Ceramic features a new high-performance zirconia ceramic material, which is thicker and heavier than the titanium model. The color is inherent to the material, and therefore should last longer and retain its vibrance compared to the surface-level coating on the titanium model.
How can you clean the Oura Ring 4 Ceramic?
Just like the titanium model, the Oura Ring 4 Ceramic can be cleaned regularly with soap and water, thanks to its IP68 water and dust resistance rating. If the ring is scuffed or scratched with soft metals like a dumbbell, the included Ceramic Polishing Pad can be used to wipe them off.
What colors and sizes is the Oura Ring 4 Ceramic available in?
The Oura Ring 4 Ceramic is available in four colors: Midnight, Tide, Petals, and Cloud.
The ring comes in 12 different sizes, from 4 to 15. Users can order a $10 sizing kit before placing an order on the ring.
