Apple's forgotten $17,000 Watch that only a handful of people on Earth own

You might have forgotten about the $17,000 rare Apple Watch that released alongside its initial version, but the once-luxury gadget has now become functionally obsolete.

Rare technology can often go for thousands when sold way past its initial use period, as while we currently have gadgets that far surpass the hardware capabilities of these initial designs, both the rarity and history give products like this a value to collectors.

We've seen the first ever Apple computer reach nearly $1 million in value, and so-called 'vintage' iPhones could net you around $190,000 if you have one lying around, but one initially expensive Apple design might not quite hold the value it once was.

If you've been a fan of Apple for a long time you might remember the Apple Watch Edition models, which were functionally identical to their 'standard' counterparts, only with an 18-karat rose gold shell and a price that ranged from $10,000 to $17,000.

Huge names like Beyoncé have been seen sporting the Apple Watch Edition (beyonce.com)

Led from a design standpoint by Jony Ive, these special edition luxury versions of the first gen Apple Watch were meant as a status symbol, and have been seen on the wrists of fashion icons like Beyoncé and Karl Lagerfield.

It's understandable that something within this price category would not exactly be a mega seller, but for many it was considered to be a bit of a flop - especially when compared to the prestige of heritage watch brands like Rolex, Cartier, and OMEGA.

As reported by Ars Technica, it is understood that the Edition version only sold in the 'low tens of thousands', which is pitiful compared to the 10 million first year sales of the standard Apple Watch, which even in itself was considered to be a significant failure.

Unfortunately, unlike most old tech that eventually comes back around in price, owners of the Apple Watch Edition have been hit with another blow as they are now considered functionally obsolete by the manufacturer.

This means that Apple will not supply any parts or commission any repairs for the product, and considering it'll now be more than nine years old you can't imagine that any still hanging around will be in the best of shape.

'Obsolete' Apple Watches are now essentially worthless in their original state (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

What's worse is that you can't even do the worst case scenario method and melt the gold down to sell that off, as it's understood that the construction was built using a harder-than-gold composite.

It goes to show that what were once luxury purchases can quickly become near worthless, so you might want to hold on to your money next time a hyper expensive piece of tech comes around, as you could end up regretting it in the future.