cant get a hold of the owner that gave me an apple watch and it doesnt let me set up my apple watch

Unless you can reach this owner and have them remove the watch from their account, you cannot use the watch, ever. Apple will not help you, nor can we. This is Activation Lock, which can only be removed by the original owner who locked the watch.

Sorry, but without their direct assistance, the watch is useless and should be recycled responsibly.

If you cannot contact the previous owner, you will not be able to unlock it. Without that owner removing Activation Lock, the Watch is useless to you. Nothing else you can do except recycle the device.