Apple Watch launched in time for the Diwali shopping weekendMumbai, Nov 6(AZINS) Apple has finally launched their much-awaited smartwatch today at a starting price of Rs 30,900.

The watch will be available via their retail channels across the country in the numerous variants being sold worldwide. This includes Gold, Rose Gold, Space Gray, Silver Anodized Aluminium, Polished Silver or Space Black stainless steel, and 18-Carat Rose Gold or Yellow Gold. Further, the watch will be available in 40 combinations across its two case sizes of 38mm and 42mm, and these exist across three distinct collections: Regular, Sport and Edition.

At the the entry level is the version with the Silver Aluminium Case with the White Sport Band; the 38mm case costing Rs 30,900 and the 42mm version coming in at Rs 34,900. Using the same band, the Stainless Steel case version in the two sizes costs Rs 48,900 and Rs 52,900 respectively.

The watch price bumps up significantly by swapping out the sport band for the Classic Leather strap (available in two colors) or the more premium Stainless Steel bracelet option, priced at Rs 60,900 and Rs 95,900 respectively.

At the top end of the scale is the confusingly named Apple Watch Edition which is crafted with an 18-carat Rose Gold casing. Paired with the decidedly non-premium plastic strap, this premium variant of the watch costs a hefty Rs 8.2 lakh for the 38mm casing. Opting for the bigger 42mm casing takes the price up to Rs 9.9 lakh while the highest-end version of this watch costs Rs 14.2 lakh.

Availability of the Apple Watch Hermes designer range has not been announced.

The various watch straps can also be purchased separately, including those crafted using fluoroelastomer, leather and stainless steel mesh as well as leather loops with in-built magnets that make for convenient swapping. The cheapest bands--the multi-colored Sport variants--are priced at Rs 3,900 each.

The Apple watch necessarily needs an iPhone 5 or newer running at least iOS 8.2 with which it pairs via Bluetooth. Because it has an integrated speaker and microphone, calls can be initiated and ended from the watch itself, although an iPhone is still necessary as the watch itself has no integrated cellular capabilities.

Given the availability of over 1,300 native watch apps and over 13,000 apps on Watch app store (including the gamut of third-party apps,) the Apple Watch has a rich ecosystem of software. However its comparatively high pricing could prove to be a dampener. With the Diwali buying season right around the corner, it’s going to be interesting the see how enthusiastically it is likely to be adopted.