It is a pioneer of 'affordable luxury ' . But the expected price tag on one of Apple 's new Watches is far from wallet-friendly . At $ 10,000 , the 18-carat gold , sapphire and crystal Apple Watch Edition being launched on Monday would be the firm 's most expensive product since the $ 10,000 Lisa computer in 1983 , developed by Steve Jobs , which was poorly received . It is the first new innovation to come from Apple since Jobs died in 2011 , and will be unveiled by chief executive Tim Cook on Monday . Analysts have branded the move a clear attempt to segway into Asia 's booming luxury goods market - and suggest it could be the start of an entirely new market . Scroll down for video . Luxury : The Apple Watch Edition is 18-carat gold , sapphire and crystal , priced at a reported $ 10,000 . 'Elegant curve ' : A luxury goods analyst for Sotheby 's said the design looks promising as a high-end product . Launch : Tim Cook will unveil the new Apple Watch Edition , plus two others , on Monday . 'Apple is the only technology brand that has the potential to move from tech brand to luxury brand . This is unprecedented , ' Jan Dawson , chief technology analyst for Jackdaw Research , told DailyMail.com . ' I think this is Apple flexing its muscles , moving into a space that it potentially has all to itself . 'The question is : how big is that market ? Is Apple eating into the market or making it bigger ? ' I think they will make it grow . ' Cook is expected to explain in detail how customers will use the buttons on the side of the device to operate the apps on the screen like an iPhone . At the other end of the spectrum , customers can opt for a midrange watch or an 'entry-level ' Watch Sport , starting at $ 349 - a fraction of most watch prices on the market . Tag Heuer 's Monaco Men 's Watch will set shoppers back $ 72,000 . The Rolex GMT-Master II Mens Automatic Watch costs an eye-watering $ 373,720 . The move into this market comes months after Apple poached Burberry 's CEO Angela Ahrendts to be the new Senior Vice President of retail and sales - and lend a fashionable eye . Alongside Yves Saint Laurent 's Paul Deneve , as a 'special projects ' Vice President , and designer Marc Newson , as a part-time consultant , the team has masterminded the firm 's unprecedented move . Big move : The products will be the first new innovations to come from Apple since Steve Jobs died in 2011 . Wearables : Analysts say the shift into wearables will be a major breakthrough for the firm targeting China . In October , a prototype of the Edition Watch even appeared at Paris Fashion Week . However , some have speculated that without a solid grounding in the high-end retail market , the Apple Edition Watch could suffer the same flaws as most iPhones , which cease to efficiently function after a few years . But according to Thomaï Serdari , Luxury Brand Strategist and Lecturer at Sotheby ’ s Institute of Art in New York , the details of the Edition model that have been released look promising . She told DailyMail.com : 'Apple produces good design , and I hate to say it but good design is priceless . 'From what I have seen , the gold watch has a very elegant profile . The very slight curve shows that the design has been very well studied to fit on your wrist . I am curious to see how it actually feels . ' I would n't be surprised if customers have the option of keeping the strap and the casing but updating the software , which would create loyalty and longevity . ' Serdari , who also lectures on product and fashion design at NYU , notes that Apple is following the classic launch strategy of designer brands like Chanel , which uses pricing to carve a position in the market . 'Chanel targets a broad market and in order to maintain the air of luxury increases the prices often very steeply . Shoe-in : Apple poached Burberry 's CEO Angela Ahrendts to help make a play for the fashion world . Fashionable : Yves Saint Laurent 's Paul Deneve ( left ) and designer Mark Newson ( right ) also worked on it . 'If the watch is $ 10,000 , it would be a great way for Apple to differentiate itself from the gadget-based market , which is highly competitive . 'In my opinion , Apple is very well positioned to make the transition to move up . ' If successful , the Edition Watch could act as a springboard for Apple to rocket into its bulls-eye : China . Tim Cook has repeatedly remarked that he predicts China to eventually overtake America as their biggest market . The popularity of the iPhone 6 drove the firm 's market share in China to a record high , reaching 25.4 per cent by January 2015 - clouding out Samsung as the country 's second-largest seller . However , Xiaomi - widely dubbed 'the Apple of China ' - remains firm with 27.6 per cent of the market . Venturing into watches and potentially other wearables , with Ahrendts at the helm , could be the leap that clinches it . Dawson said : 'They could really move into anything - necklaces , bracelets , brooches ... It 's not clear how those might feature a screen to function in the way that a watch does . But Apple is certainly in a position to try . '
Apple is set to be priced at $ 10,000 on Monday 's launch . 18-carat gold , sapphire and crystal product would be firm 's most expensive item since 1983 . It is Apple Watch Edition 's first move from affordable luxury into the luxury goods market . Technology analyst and luxury goods analyst both tell DailyMail.com they are confident the product has the potential to succeed in the market .