Jordan 12 Obsidian: Midnight Strikes Again in 2027
Obsidian has spent most of its life quietly waiting in the dark.
After first appearing in 1997 and finally receiving its first high-top retro in 2012, the Jordan 12 Obsidian is reportedly set to return almost 15 years after its last high-top release. That unusually long absence gives the comeback more weight than the average retro cycle.
And the timing fits. The Air Jordan 12 enters its 30th-anniversary era in 2026–27, reconnecting sneaker culture with one of Tinker Hatfield’s most architectural Jordan designs.
An OG That Rarely Leaves the Vault
The Obsidian originally arrived in 1997 as part of the original Air Jordan 12 family. Unlike the Chicago-coded black, white, and red combinations forever tied to Michael Jordan’s championship years, this pair moved into cooler territory: deep navy, crisp white, and Carolina-flavored blue.
It’s also an unusual piece of Jordan history. Although an original colorway, the Obsidian is reported to be the only original Air Jordan 12 that Jordan never wore during an NBA game. Its identity grew away from hardwood mythology, carried instead by its color blocking and scarcity.
The high-top returned in 2012. Since then? Silence. The 2027 release would therefore represent only the third high-top run of the colorway: 1997, 2012, and 2027.
Design Language: Navy After Dark
The Air Jordan 12 Obsidian 2027 is expected to remain close to its OG recipe rather than rewrite it.
Obsidian leather floods the upper, with the AJ12’s radiating stitched channels cutting across the navy like lines drawn into midnight. Those signature panels trace back to Tinker Hatfield’s Japanese-inspired design language for the silhouette.
White textured mudguards then sweep upward from the midsole, breaking the darkness with the model’s familiar sculpted contrast. University Blue and French Blue details provide smaller flashes of color, giving the palette a subtle connection to Michael Jordan’s North Carolina roots.
Rather than leaning on loud nostalgia, the Obsidian works almost like a navy suit: structured, iconic, and timeless.
Release Details
Release Date: January 23, 2027
Retail Price: $215
SKU: CT8013-401
Colorway: Obsidian/French Blue/University Blue/White
Availability: Nike SNKRS and select retailers
The Jordan 12 Obsidian is expected to release on January 23, 2027, through Nike SNKRS and selected retailers for a retail price of $215.
The deeper the blue waters… the harder the treasure can be to find.
If you’re looking to secure one or multiple pairs, make sure your TSB setup is locked in. TSB has successfully helped members go after previous Jordan 12s and limited Jordan releases while tracking retailer drops, raffles, restocks, and early signals in real time, so you know when the window opens and can make your move before pairs start drying up.
Resale Potential
There is no reliable early StockX market data for the upcoming 2027 release yet, so looking at comparable releases is the next best move.
The strongest direct comparable is the 2012 Jordan 12 Obsidian. StockX currently shows an average resale price of $230, with sales ranging from $200 to $280 over that period. Against its original $160 retail price, that works out to an average ROI of roughly +45%, with the range stretching from +25% to +75%.
Other AJ12 retros show how uneven the market can be. The 2025 “Flu Game,” which retailed for $210, has averaged $240, translating to roughly +15% ROI, while its $425 peak represents approximately +100% ROI. Meanwhile, the 2016 “French Blue” retailed for $190 and has averaged $170, or roughly -10% ROI, despite reaching a $300 peak sale of approximately +60% ROI.
With a reported retail price of $215, the 2027 Jordan 12 Obsidian could resell around $220–$260, with a projected ROI of up to 30% and potential room to grow as the release rolls out.
That suggests restraint rather than instant-flip fever. The story here is stronger for collectors: an OG colorway, roughly 15 years since its last high-top retro, and a palette with unusually broad everyday appeal.
Midnight Strikes Again
The Jordan 12 Obsidian returns with something scarcity can’t manufacture overnight: history. Nearly 15 years removed from its last high-top retro, the deep navy original still feels remarkably current, balancing its crisp white mudguard and cool blue accents with one of Tinker Hatfield’s most iconic silhouettes.
2027 won’t simply put another Air Jordan 12 back on shelves. It will reopen a chapter that has spent most of the past three decades closed. And for collectors who missed 1997 and 2012, midnight may finally be arriving at the right time.
If you’re trying to secure this Obsidian gem before it sinks out of reach, make sure your TSB key is ready.