US technology giant Apple has unveiled a range of smart watches that will be like having a “health coach on one’s wrist” including a solid gold version for $17,000.

Describing it as “the most personal product Apple’s ever made because it’s the first one designed to be worn”, Chief Executive Tim Cook unveiled the high-tech Apple Watch at a Press conference today in San Francisco, US.

Prices will start at a mere $349 for the smaller model and $399 for the larger and there will be a fancy 18-karat solid yellow or rose gold edition costing around $17,000.

The range is made from exceptionally hard stainless steel and anodised aluminium. It will be available on the market starting April 24 in nine countries including Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, UK and the US with “more countries to follow”.

There was no news on when the watch will be rolled out in the Middle East.

So what does the watch do? 

Well, apart from the mundane chore of keeping track of time, pretty much everything šelse except pour the tea, according to Apple.

The watch was described by Cook as “the most advanced timepiece ever created, a device that will revolutionise how you connect with others, and a comprehensive health and fitness companion”.

Connected to one’s iPhone and served by a host of apps, the watch will:

• Offer customised faces with useful information on the dial.

• Play music.

• Act as a health companion by providing a snapshot of your all-day activity.

• Encourage you to sit less, move more, and get some exercise.

• Offer a workout app that provides detailed measurements during specific activities.

• Set specific training goals.

• Transfer notifications from the iPhone to automatically appear on its screen.

• Offer the services of Siri, the talking personal assistant.

• Buy lunch through Apple Pay.

• Let you check into your hotel and unlock your room using a Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) app.

• Pull your boarding pass from Passbook when you’re near the airport.

• Request a ride on Uber. 

• Scroll through and like images on Instagram.

• Get timely activity reminders and progress updates.

• Help developers design all-new app experiences specifically for Apple Watch through WatchKit SDK.

• And of course, answer and make phone calls.

The watch’s battery has a life of 18 hours, and can be magnetically recharged.

It will be available in three collections: Apple Watch Sport, Apple Watch, and Apple Watch Edition.

High-quality watches have long been defined by their ability to keep unfailingly accurate time, and Apple says its watches will be no exception, keeping time “within 50 milliseconds of the definitive global time standard”. 

American model Christy Turlington Burns will be one of the first celebrities to wear the watch, using it to train for this year’s London Marathon.