Local retailers selling LG’s Watch Urbane from September 1

LG today announced that its LG Watch Urbane Android Wear smartwatch will be available through Telstra, JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman from September 1 for AUD$449. First unveiled at Mobile World Congress in March, the Watch Urbane's official local launch was delayed due to strong international demand, according to LG.

Despite the delays, Google has been shipping the metal-clad Watch Urbane to Australians since May via its own online store, albeit for a slightly pricier AUD$459. Of course, local retailer availability does give potential buyers the chance to see the wearable in flesh before committing to a purchase.

The Watch Urbane boasts circular 1.3-inch screen, heartrate monitor, Snapdragon 400 processor, 4GB of internal storage and a 410mAh battery – all virtually identical to the G Watch R. As with the G Watch R, the Watch Urbane is rated IP67 for dust and water resistance. The Watch Urbane is compatible with smartphones running Android 4.3 and up.

The Watch Urbane will only be available in silver when it launches in Australia next month. The "pink gold" version may come to local stores at a later date.

Read more: Android Wear takes a cue from Apple Watch with interactive watch faces