Apple Watch available to collect in UK stores - but online reservations still required

Over six weeks after it went on sale, the Apple Watch is finally available to buy in Apple Stores across the UK - but you will have to reserve one online and some models are still out of stock.

Reservations can be placed through Apple's website, but while the popular (and cheapest) Sport models are available in all stores across the country at the time of publication, others can only be bought from Apple's flagships shops, such as those in London and Manchester.

Buyers need to pick their Watch, the store they wish to collect it from, then choose a time to go in and buy it. Orders placed online for home delivery are much slower, with some models carrying an estimated shipping date of three to four weeks from now.

Most of the gold Watch Edition models - which start at £8,000 - can only be reserved for collection from Apple's London stores at Regent Street and Selfridges, while the most expensive, the 38mm yellow gold model with red Modern Buckle strap, is unavailable. I guess you'll have to find something else to spend your £13,500 on.

As Apple said last week, the 42mm Watch in Space Black with the metal link bracelet is unavailable at all stores for now.

Dover Street Market, a Mayfair boutique which is the only non-Apple store in the UK to sell the Watch, is accepting reservations to try on and purchase up to one day in advance; reservations can be made in store or over the phone.

It is understood that Apple Stores will soon have stock available to buy by visitors without a reservation, and this could coincide with the Watch's expansion into seven more countries on 26 June, including Italy, Spain and South Korea. Buyers of the Watch Sport in store will receive a special bag with the Watch logo and a carry handle to match the colour of their Watch's strap, according to 9to5Mac.