LG launches gold and leather Urbane Luxe smartwatch for late October ship date

Elements in 23-carat gold and a stylized leather strap hike up the price on this premium Android wearable.

Jessica Dolcourt VP, Content Operations and Commerce, CNET Group and CNET Labs

Jessica is a passionate content strategist and team leader across the CNET family of brands. She leads a number of teams, including commerce, performance optimization and the copy desk. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on the iPhone and Samsung devices. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds. Jessica began her leadership role managing CNET's How To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones to home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick in the UK.

See full bio

Jessica Dolcourt

Aug. 31, 2015 8:24 a.m. PT

Splurging on a smartwatch? This one comes with 23-karat gold.
LG

If you subscribe to the smartwatch philosophy that dressier is better, LG's latest Android wearable, the LG Watch Urbane Luxe, looks far more like a high-end timepiece than it does a tech toy.

An alligator leather strap and 23-karat gold elements bump up the bragging rights and price -- the 500 limited-edition wearables will retail for around $1,200 come late October, which converts to about £780 and roughly AU$1,700.

Made in conjunction with US company Reeds Jewelers, functionality within the Luxe is all LG's. Like the original Watch Urbane , this flashier model has a fully round 1.3-inch OLED display and runs on Android Wear software.

While LG's Watch Urbane is one of the top Android Wear watches, it's about to get smacked with some seriously tough competition as rivals start releasing their own new or next-generation watches all in time for the holiday crush. At such a high price, this Luxe edition is without a doubt a novelty. Iy may not be enough to keep LG's brand at the top of consumers' minds when the time comes to buy.