Skip to main content

LG brings luxury to Android Wear with the $1,200 Watch Urbane Luxe

Do you find yourself with a little extra disposable income that you need to burn? It you also happen to be an Android user, than we might have the perfect timepiece for you.

LG just took the wraps off of the Watch Urbane Luxe, which is an “exquisite” version of the Watch Urbane. From a collaboration with Reeds Jewelers, The Watch Urban Luxe is 23-karat gold with an exclusive piano-gloss lacquer case. According to LG, this 23-karat gold is “stronger and harder” than the 24-karat gold used in jewelry and heavier than the 18-karat gold used in traditional luxury watches.

The strap is alligator leather, and is of the “highest level of craftsmanship.” Over 30 experienced leather workers are involved in 50 separate steps to create each band. It also has an elegant deployment clasp, which was invented by Louis Cartier in 1910.

The guts of the Urbane Luxe is exactly the same as the basic Urbane. It features a 1.3-inch plastic OLED display with a resolution of 320 x 320. It’s powered by a Qualcomm Snapdraon 400, and has 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, and a 410mAh battery. The IP67 certification means the watch is completely protected from dust and it can be submerged in 1 meter of water for 30 minutes.

The Urbane Luxe is an obvious response to the 18-karat gold Apple Watch, which starts at $10,000, but LG’s Urbane Luxe is priced at just $1,200. It’s also a chance to get ahead of Tag Heuer’s upcoming Android Wear watch, which is likely to cost even more.

LG and Reeds are going to intelligently make this one a special edition. Only 500 will be available, and we’re wondering if that’s even too high.

If the Urbane Luxe delights your fancy, pre-orders will start later this month at Reeds.com or any Reeds Jewelers location.

Editors' Recommendations

Robert Nazarian
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Robert Nazarian became a technology enthusiast when his parents bought him a Radio Shack TRS-80 Color. Now his biggest…
Where is the Google Pixel Watch?
App launcher on the Skagen Falster Wear OS smartwatch

We've been expecting Google to release its own smartwatch for quite some time, but there was no sign of the long-rumored device at Google's Pixel hardware event in New York. While the Pixel 4 and 4 XL were widely leaked, the lack of solid detail about a Pixel Watch was perhaps a sign that it’s not ready for prime time just yet.

Rumors of a Google smartwatch have been circulating for years now and it would make a lot of sense given Google’s hardware lineup, potentially encouraging more people to commit to Google’s ecosystem. A smartwatch that seamlessly integrates with the Pixel phones, the Pixelbook, and Google’s smart home devices would be desirable for many. Strong support for Google Pay and the next generation Google Assistant would make it a useful device to have on your wrist.

Read more
Samsung adds One UI and battery boosts to Galaxy Watch and Gear smartwatches
samsung galaxy watch active

Samsung has announced a software update for the Galaxy Watch, Gear Sport, and Gear S3 smartwatch lineup that will not only bring the new One UI interface first seen on the Galaxy Watch Active, but it will also deliver battery life enhancements, as well as improved health and fitness features.
Updated interface
The latest software update, available now, adds Samsung's One UI, a simplified and colorful interface unveiled last year, and until now, available only on the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active model. One UI is designed to ease navigation and decrease watch face clutter for more intuitive operation. Simplified visual settings let you more easily customize and control the watch. It's the same design theme as the interface on Samsung's latest smartphones, so Samsung's wearables and phones will feel and look more unified.

The updated interface also features new advanced settings, including enabling and disabling Touch wake-up, controlling the frequency and timing of Daily briefing updates, and a more flexible Goodnight mode control. New watch faces that were only available for the Galaxy Watch Active are also now available for these three models from the Galaxy Store.
Battery optimizations
The update also adds better battery optimization -- the watches will automatically close apps operating in the background to prevent battery drain. You can also customize battery saving settings, such as by adjusting brightness and screen timeout for better performance.

Read more
Master Google’s Wear OS with these 16 essential tips and tricks
best of ces 2018 kate spade scallop android wear smartwatch top tech winner

Google's Wear OS puts everything from notifications to fitness tracking data on your wrist, and though smartwatches -- like any new piece of tech -- have a learning curve, it's more accessible and useful than ever before.  However, everyone needs a starting point, so here are some essential Wear OS tips to get the most out of your smartwatch, whether you want to listen to music offline, dim the display, or change the watch face.
Listen to music offline

One of the best features of Wear OS is the chance to stream music from the watch to a pair of connected Bluetooth headphones. It means you can leave your phone behind when at the gym or out for a run. It's a little limited though, and you'll have to sync songs or playlist to your smartwatch from Google Play Music to listen offline. Ensure your watch is connected to Wi-Fi, then open Play Music and tap the little Download icon next to your chosen song or playlist. It takes a while to sync, so have patience, and don't do it five minutes before you leave the house.
Install new watch faces

Read more