APPLE'S much-anticipated timepiece will arrive in UK shops next month - but it won't be cheap.

Touted as the "most advanced time piece ever created", the watch promises to help wearers stay fit and connect with their friends.

But it comes with an eye-watering price tag, with the limited edition 18 carat gold watch set to cost $10,000, which is approximately £6,611.

Even the mid-range stainless steel Apple watch will cost $549 to $1,049 (£363 to £694) while the cheapest version, the Apple Watch Sport, ranges from $349 to $399.

At the current exchange rate that would have translated to £230 for the cheapest iWatch in the UK.

But there was disappointment for buyers in Britain when Apple revealed the cheapest version of its must-have gadget will retail at £299 here. 

That will make the Apple watch substantially more expensive than rival smartwatches from Sony, LG and Samsung.

Introducing the watch in San Francisco, Apple chief Tim Cook said: "The Apple watch is the most personal device we have ever created. It is not just with you, it is on you."

He added: "In addition to being a beautiful object, the Apple watch is the most advanced timepiece ever created."

Bosses at the technology giant revealed that thousands of apps are in the process of being developed for the watch.

The watch comes with a multitude of sports, arts and other functions which promise to "enhance people's lives".Wearers can use it to pay for things, view their photos and to control their music.

Emails and notifications can also pop up on the watch, allowing wearers to keep track of the news and browse social media by glancing at their wrist.

Dubbed a "comprehensive health and fitness companion" the watch tracks the user's daily movement, how long they have been exercising and sets fitness targets for the next week.

It can work out how long the wearer has been exercising for and how many calories they have burnt.

Mr Cook told the packed auditorium audience: "It is like having a coach on your wrist."

Supermodel and keen runner Christy Turlington Burns took the watch for a spin while she completed a half marathon in Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

The American model and campaigner gave the high-tech timepiece a glowing review, and revealed she will use it when she runs the London Marathon next month.

Asked about the watch, she said: "I relied on it quite heavily actually. The race was pretty challenging and there was a lot of elevation and altitude so I was checking quite frequently."

Sporting a version of the watch with a blue wristband, she said the Apple timepiece will be with her "every step of the way" during the London Marathon.

She said: "It's the biggest marathon and I'm hoping to beat my record and come in just under four hours, and the Apple watch is going to help me get there."

Mr Cook said: "Apple watch can be an incredibly rich and integral part of your life. It's a precise and customisable timepiece. It's a revolutionary new way to connect with others. And it's a comprehensive health and fitness companion."

But he said this is "just the beginning".