The $20,000 gold Apple Watch Edition sold out in China in less than an hour

The Apple Watch Edition has already sold out in China - and it took less than an hour for the most luxurious gold version of the device, which reportedly costs ¥126,800 ($20,000) to get completely snapped up.

Today, Apple put the Apple Watch Sport, Apple Watch, and Edition up for pre-order in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, and China. Customers can now try on and buy the watches, but the company says people won't get them until weeks later in the UK - elsewhere, it could be longer. Relatively few will actually walk out of shops wearing their new accessory.

Just hours into sales in China, there's zero chance of grabbing an Apple Watch Edition, the most exclusive version. Author Ben Thompson tweeted that he's checked every store there and at every one the device is listed as out of stock. The tweet was first spotted by Cult of Mac. Many people who lined up thousands to spend on the product, at least for now, will be bitterly disappointed.

As Cult of Mac points out, sales are expected to be big in the world's most populous country, which is known for its love of gadgetry and luxury items. But it appears, despite mixed reviews, that every country where the Apple Watch is available will be quick to snap the gadgets up. In the US, shipping times were pushed back from the original April 24 availability date to 4-6 weeks within the first 10 minutes.

Two reporters from Business Insider UK have appointments for Watch purchases this morning, so stay tuned on this page for updates.