how long does it take to pair?

Hello Luckylindyjs,

Thanks for reaching out to us in Apple Support Communities about pairing your Apple Watch. We're happy to help by looking into this more! 

The actually pairing process doesn't take long at all, however often the Apple Watch software will need to be updated in order to be compatible with the software installed on your iPhone. If an update is required that can take some time, but depends on your iPhone remaining close to the Apple Watch and your internet connection speed. Here's a resource that can help:

Update your Apple Watch - Apple Support

Hope this helps.

Best Regards.

About 5 seconds to pair and another 30 minutes to set up if it doesn't need updating.