Is it time to bid goodbye to your early-gen Apple Watch? Here’s what you need to know.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Ready to sell your old Apple Watch so you can buy the Apple Watch Series 4? Or maybe you’ve just decided this wearable isn’t the right one for you. (Amazfit Bip ($76 at Amazon.com), anyone?)
Whatever the case, there are a few important steps to take when selling an Apple Watch. The first is to make sure you’ve wiped everything. The second: Make sure you get top dollar for that bad boy.
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Prep your Apple Watch for sale
Before you can sell your watch, you need to make sure it’s unpaired from your iPhone and restored to factory settings. Can’t you just use the Erase All Content and Settings option on the watch itself? No, because even after that step, it’ll remain paired to your phone, meaning the new owner won’t be able to set it up with his or her device.
Therefore, do this:
Step 1: With your iPhone and Apple Watch in close proximity, open the Watch app on the former.
Step 2: Tap My Watch at the bottom of the app, then tap the name of your watch (near the top).
Step 3: Tap the little “i” to the right of your watch name, then tap Unpair Apple Watch. Follow the prompts from there.
This procedure will not only disable Activation Lock (which is what would prevent the watch from being paired from a different phone), but also erase the watch and restore it to factory settings. If you’re upgrading, have no fear: Your iPhone will keep a Watch backup that can be restored to the newer model.
With that done, gather up the box, charging dock and any other accessories you might have, because it’s time to sell (and the more original stuff you can include, the more money you’ll make).
Sell your Apple Watch for top dollar
The rules for selling your Apple Watch dovetail pretty closely with those for selling your iPhone. Indeed, you have the same basic options: sell it yourself or look to a buy-back service.
Apple proper, for example, will give you a $25 store credit for 1st-gen Apple Watch Sport that’s in good condition. Best Buy’s estimated trade-in value (also good for store credit) for the same model: $50.
You’re likely to do better selling the watch outright via Craigslist or eBay, though the former carries some inherent risks (like having to meet someone in person) while the latter will hit you up with fees: usually 10 percent of the final value. On Ebay, I found lots of “sold” listings for my model in the $120-$150 range.
Here’s an example of what Decluttr will pay for your used Apple Watch Series 1 — as of Sept. 11, that is. When Apple announces its next model, values will drop.
Decluttr
Somewhere in between the lowball offers of an Apple or Best Buy and the added hassles of Craigslist and eBay, you’ll find buy-back services like BuyBackWorld, Decluttr and MaxBack. I requested quotes from all three for the aforementioned 1st-gen 42mm Sport Watch in excellent condition; their offers were $75, $80 and $60, respectively.
Your mileage may vary, of course, depending on the model, style and condition of your Apple Watch.
One important tip: If you are indeed planning to sell, don’t wait. As soon as Apple’s new model gets announced and starts shipping, the value of your current watch will start to drop.
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