The Best Apple Watch Costs $24,000 In Australia, $7K More Than In America

Maybe it can be your combined Birthday and Christmas present?

Wondering when you can buy the Apple Watch, and how much exactly it will cost? Wonder no longer! Apple CEO Tim Cook has finally spilled the most important details about his company’s hotly anticipated new line of wearable devices at today’s annual Apple Event.

First, the good news. April 24 is the drop date, but pre-orders will be accepted from April 10. On the 10th, you’ll even be able to go into an Apple Store and try the Watch on for size. In fact, thanks to our timezone, Australians will be among the first in the world to see it in the iFlesh.

The next piece of info may not be so welcome.

Prices – in Australia - for the most basic iteration of the watch start at $499. That’s $150 more than in the U.S.

The next step up is the stainless steel version, which will retail for $799. In the States, it goes for $549.

Or, you can go HAM with the 18-karat gold Apple Watch Edition. That is, if you’ve got a spare $14,000 burning a hole in your pocket. Once again, our American cousins can purchase that bad boy for the relatively bargain basement price of $10k.

If you’re feeling really reckless, the top of the line gold edition can be yours for $24,000 (against the U.S. price of $17,000).

A reminder, here, that Apple reported a profit of $18 billion in their last quarter.

Of course, much of that price increase has to do with the differences between the Aussie and American dollar. Still, that gap is mighty steep.

Should you be able to manage those costs, you’ll be able to enjoy an “all-day battery life” as well as new fitness-measuring apps and the ability to draw on your screen and communicate with other smartwatch wearers.

So, when did you start saving?