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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>UNITED
      STATES</strong></font></div>
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      AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</strong></font></div>
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      D.C. 20549</strong></font></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>FORM
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman"><strong>CURRENT
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      to Section&#160;13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
      1934</strong></font></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Date
      of
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      20, 2006</font></div>
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      name of registrant as specified in its charter)</font></div>
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      telephone number, including area code: (714) 549-0421</font></div>
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      the
      appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously
      satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following
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      Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
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      Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
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      Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange
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      Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">On
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for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or
      otherwise subject to the liability of that section, nor shall it be deemed
      incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933.
</font></div>
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            </tr>
            <tr>
              <td align="left" valign="top" width="5%" style="border-bottom: medium none;">&#160;</td>
              <td align="left" valign="top" width="15%" style="border-bottom: medium none;">&#160;</td>
              <td align="left" valign="top" width="80%" style="border-bottom: medium none;">&#160;</td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
              <td align="left" valign="top" width="5%" style="border-bottom: medium none;">&#160;</td>
              <td align="left" valign="top" width="15%" style="border-bottom: medium none;">
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              <td align="left" valign="top" width="5%" style="border-bottom: medium none;">&#160;</td>
              <td align="left" valign="top" width="15%" style="border-bottom: medium none;">&#160;</td>
              <td align="left" valign="top" width="80%" style="border-bottom: medium none;">&#160;</td>
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            <tr>
              <td align="left" valign="top" width="5%" style="border-bottom: medium none;">&#160;</td>
              <td align="left" valign="top" width="15%" style="border-bottom: medium none;">
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              </td>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><br>&#160;</div>
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        <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">2</font></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
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      to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant
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      duly authorized.</font></div>
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            <td width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: ">&#160;</font></td>
            <td width="49%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: ">&#160;</font></td>
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            <td colspan="2"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: ">CERADYNE,
              INC.</font></td>
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          <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#ffffff">
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            <td><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: ">&#160;<br>&#160;</font></td>
            <td><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: ">&#160;<br>&#160;</font></td>
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            <td><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: ">January
              23, 2006</font></td>
            <td><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: ">By:&#160;&#160;</font></td>
            <td><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: ">/s/&#160;Jerrold
              J. Pellizzon</font></td>
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                J. Pellizzon</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.25; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Chief
                Financial Officer and Secretary</font></div>
            </td>
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                release of Ceradyne dated January 20,
                2006.</font></div>
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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "CERADYNE INC", "cik": "0000018937", "assigned-sic": "3990", "irs-number": "330055414", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-13059", "film-number": "06548826"}, "business-address": {"street1": "3169 RED HILL", "city": "COSTA MESA", "state": "CA", "zip": "92626", "phone": "7145490421"}, "mail-address": {"street2": "3169 RED HILL", "city": "COSTA MESA", "state": "CA", "zip": "92626"}}
UNITED
      STATES
SECURITIES
      AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
      D.C. 20549
FORM
      8-K
CURRENT
      REPORT
Pursuant
      to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
      1934
Date
      of
      Report (Date of earliest event reported)
January
      20, 2006
CERADYNE,
      INC.
(Exact
      name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
000-13059
33-0055414
(State
                or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
(Commission
                File Number)
(IRS
                Employer Identification No.)
3169
                Red Hill Avenue, Costa Mesa, CA
92626
(Address
                of principal executive offices)
(Zip
                Code)
Registrant's
      telephone number, including area code: (714) 549-0421
Check
      the
      appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously
      satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following
      provisions:
[
      ]
      Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
      230.425)
[
      ]
      Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
      240.14a-12)
[
      ]
      Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange
      Act
      (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
[
      ]
      Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange
      Act
      (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Exhibit
      Index on page 4
Item
      7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.
On
      January 20, 2006 Ceradyne, Inc. issued a press release announcing the receipt
      of
      a $70 million order for its lightweight ceramic body armor for the U.S. Army.
      A
      copy of this press release is being furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current
      Report on Form 8-K.
In
      accordance with General Instruction B.2 of Form 8-K, the information in this
      Current Report on Form 8-K, including Exhibit 99.1, shall not be deemed "filed"
for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or
      otherwise subject to the liability of that section, nor shall it be deemed
      incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933.
Item
      9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(c)
Exhibits.
Exhibit
                  Number
Description
99.1
Press
                  release of Ceradyne, Inc. dated January 20,
                  2006.
2
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
      to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant
      has
      duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto
      duly authorized.
CERADYNE,
              INC.
January
              23, 2006
By:
/s/ Jerrold
              J. Pellizzon
Jerrold
                J. Pellizzon
Chief
                Financial Officer and Secretary
3
EXHIBIT
      INDEX
Exhibit
                Number
Description
99.1
Press
                release of Ceradyne dated January 20,
                2006.
4