Existing Apple Watch won't pair with new iPhone

has anyone managed to pair an existing apple watch to a new iPhone? I was rolling along in the very slick apple process to transfer data from old phone to new, then new phone asked if I wanted to pair watch. I said yes and the watch face went to the apple icon with the tick mark circle. It stopped about 9 ticks in. Waited and waited. Went ahead an unpaired watch from old phone. Watch would not power off and eventually came out of its coma and looked like my normal watch. On new iphone, go into watch app, try to pair existing watch. Says hold phone near watch and I do but iphone cannot see watch. stuck.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]