Inside Apple Watch launches around the world (pictures)

Welcome to Selfridges in London, where Apple has setup a shop-in-a-shop to show off its new Watch.

This is just one of the Apple Stores around the world that today will be letting customers in to take their first look at the shiny new wearable.

The Galeries Lafayette in Paris has more plenty of traditional luxury watches, but Apple showed off its bright flexible bands for the Apple Watch Sport at the a high-end Parisian department store. The Sport model costs $350 for the model with a 38mm screen and $400 for a 42mm model in the US.

To try an Apple Watch, prospective customers must book an appointment for a one-on-one fitting and product tour. This customer is in Paris.

Unless you booked an appointment, you can only look at the array of Apple Watch options under a glass case. These customers are in the Apple store near the Paris Opera.

The Apple Watch took the four central tables in Apple's Paris store.

The Apple Watch display at the Galeries Lafayette in Paris occupied prime retail territory: four bays beneath the building's glass atrium.

Just before it opened, a small group gathered outside Apple's Fifth Avenue store in New York.

Once the doors opened, potential customers swept down the spiral staircase into the store.

Apple CEO Tim Cook clearly enjoyed the moment as he stopped by the Apple Store in Palo Alto, Calif., amid Apple Watch browsers.

Cook  takes a moment to pose for a photo with a shopper.

Although the Watch will be on display at all Apple Stores, Selfridges is the only non-Apple shop in the UK where it can be seen.

Long tables are filled with Watches at Selfridge's in London.

Apple arranged its Apple Watch Sport bands in a pattern that resembles the progress bars in the Apple Watch fitness app.

A view of the the Galeries Lafayette, a Parisian department store where Apple started selling its new watch.

Interestingly, Apple has positioned its mini-shop in the watch and jewellery section of Selfridges, rather than the technology section.

It's clearly hoping to position the Apple Watch as a competitor to normal watches, rather than as a gadget.

The butterfly window display looked lovely.

This is one of the tables where you'll be able to see the watch and try one on.

When it's time to try on a watch, a salesperson unlocks a drawer filled with different Apple Watch models.

This stand lets people try Apple Watch features, with a display synchronized with the watch activity to explain what's going on. The watches prospective customers try wearing only run a preset sequence of demonstration apps.

Apple Watches are tucked in a locked drawer that's only opened during a fitting made by appointment.

An Apple assistant will take you through a fitting.

I tried the Milaneese loop strap. It was very comfy.

In typical Apple fashion, the first customers were applauded inside in Covent Garden.

In case anyone missed the tiny smartwatches on display, a huge Apple Watch advertisement showed customers at the Galeries Lafayette department store what to look for.

Is the $10,000 Apple Watch Edition worth the price? A prospective customer takes a close look at the top-end gold-housed model at the Galeries Lafayette, a high-end Parisian department store.

Display tables of watches await buyers in New York.

And here's Apple's Covent Garden store in central London.

The drawer also charges the watches.

An iPad is built into this display to show information about the watches.

They're trapped behind glass most of the time.

The Watch, Watch Sport and Watch Edition are all available to see.

Starbucks was getting in on the excitement by setting up a little coffee stand outside the store. I'm not sure if this was official.

A prospective customer tries an Apple Watch during a one-on-one fitting appointment at the Galeries Lafayette, a high-end Parisian department store.

Most of the Apple presence at the Galeries Lafayette in Paris was devoted to the Apple Watch, but the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus got a table at the far end. Customers showed much more interest in the Watch.

A customer tries on a Watch in New York.

All the Watches are stored in a secure drawer until needed.

Don't worry, you probably won't be filmed by media crews when you go in.

For both the public and many of the media in London, it was the first time seeing the Watch in the flesh.

Slipping the Watch on.

Polishing before fitting.

As the day goes on the Fifth Avenue store begins to fill up.

At the Apple Store in downtown San Francisco, the line before the doors opened on Apple Watch day was modest indeed compared to the throngs seen for iPhone launches.

Customers can't leave today with an Apple Watch, but they can take a picture to remember the moment by.

So many variations to ponder.

A visitor looks at Apple Watch models at a Paris Apple store.