Buying Rolex in UK, where is cheapest?

[x1uan]

Hello everyone,

I am going to London this Thanksgiving and buying my first Rolex.
Still deciding between Sub No date and DJII silver dial.
Is it cheaper to buy at the duty free airport or retail store in London?
Any advise or information is appreciated!

[kromdom]

cheaper would be from a TS here (DavidSW, takuya, etc.)....unless you really need to buy it in London and deal with customs on the way back

[x1uan]

Originally Posted by kromdom

cheaper would be from a TS here (DavidSW, takuya, etc.)....unless you really need to buy it in London and deal with customs on the way back

Correct me if my math is wrong, Sub no date is now priced at 5450 GBP after recent 10% raise in UK, and minus 764 GBP tax return it costs 4686 GBP, which is around 5800 USD, which is still cheaper than buying in the US.

[No SUBctitute]

Originally Posted by kromdom

cheaper would be from a TS here (DavidSW, takuya, etc.)....unless you really need to buy it in London and deal with customs on the way back

While I understand the trusted seller fans on the forum love to give loads of advertising to TSs, lets not move to misinformation. Buying a watch at RRP in the UK, getting a VAT refund, and paying customs duty upon importation into the United States is CHEAPER THAN USING A TRUSTED SELLER.

True, a SS sports model may not be available to purchase, but that's a different issue than cost. Anyway, I'm constantly reading posts here about someone in UK who found a SS posts model or sees one in a shop.

So, OP, give it a shot and see what you can find! Good luck!

[x1uan]

Originally Posted by No SUBctitute

While I understand the trusted seller fans on the forum love to give loads of advertising to TSs, lets not move to misinformation. Buying a watch at RRP in the UK, getting a VAT refund, and paying customs duty upon importation into the United States is CHEAPER THAN USING A TRUSTED SELLER.

True, a SS sports model may not be available to purchase, but that's a different issue than cost. Anyway, I'm constantly reading posts here about someone in UK who found a SS posts model or sees one in a shop.

So, OP, give it a shot and see what you can find! Good luck!

Thanks! Speaking of custom duty, any idea how much would that be?
I was searching about this on the internet, there are people saying that just wear the watch on the wrist and hide the box in the luggage, any idea how doable is that? Again, thank you for your input!

[No SUBctitute]

Originally Posted by x1uan

Thanks! Speaking of custom duty, any idea how much would that be?
I was searching about this on the internet, there are people saying that just wear the watch on the wrist and hide the box in the luggage, any idea how doable is that? Again, thank you for your input!

That doesn't seem to be an easy answer. The best I could find was:

-first $800 exempt ($1600 for a couple)
-next $1000 at 3% duty ($2000 for a couple)
-remaining value taxed at 3.1% duty,
or taxed at $1.61 each plus 4.4% duty

The equation would be:

(Price Paid - $1800) * .031 + $30 + $1.61,

where the first product in the equation is the duty above $1800, the first sum is the 3% duty on the first $1000, and the second sum is the duty fee for each piece applied.

So, a $7,000 watch at 3.1% would be $161.12,
or a $7,000 watch at 4.4% plus $1.61 would be $230.41.

But don't trust ME, the duty rates are complicated and I'm not an expert.

[x1uan]

Originally Posted by No SUBctitute

That doesn't seem to be an easy answer. The best I could find was:

-first $800 exempt ($1600 for a couple)
-next $1000 at 3% duty ($2000 for a couple)
-remaining value taxed at 3.1% duty,
or taxed at $1.61 each plus 4.4% duty

The equation would be:

(Price Paid - $1800) * .031 + $30 + $1.61,

where the first product in the equation is the duty above $1800, the first sum is the 3% duty on the first $1000, and the second sum is the duty fee for each piece applied.

So, a $7,000 watch at 3.1% would be $161.12,
or a $7,000 watch at 4.4% plus $1.61 would be $230.41.

But don't trust ME, the duty rates are complicated and I'm not an expert.

Wow, thank you for doing the math, I will keep that in mind

[Etschell]

cheap and rolex, two words that never go together.

[strafer_kid]

Originally Posted by Etschell

cheap and rolex, two words that never go together.

Very true! I reckon Rolex can just about get whatever asking price they put on for some models!

[locutus49]

I hear SS Rolexes are scarce in the UK. Why not buy in America?

[x1uan]

Originally Posted by locutus49

I hear SS Rolexes are scarce in the UK. Why not buy in America?

In US, it's like 10% more expensive even after recent price raise in UK, isn't it?

[Etschell]

Originally Posted by x1uan

In US, it's like 10% more expensive even after recent price raise in UK, isn't it?

nope. its more expensive in UK bc rolex are imported from switzerland.

[x1uan]

Originally Posted by Etschell

nope. its more expensive in UK bc rolex are imported from switzerland.

See my calculation above, it's cheaper in UK due to tax return!

[Russell996]

Originally Posted by x1uan

See my calculation above, it's cheaper in UK due to tax return!

What duty do you pay importing into the US? They might also keep the papers.

[mattty]

Any sub unspoken for in London will be a rarity on its own, it wont be a case of where's cheaper, start with availability.

[Nairn1980]

You'll struggle to find a ND here in the UK despite the recent price increase.

As for D-Blue, BLNR etc....forget it lol

[x1uan]

Originally Posted by Nairn1980

You'll struggle to find a ND here in the UK despite the recent price increase.

As for D-Blue, BLNR etc....forget it lol

Really? I absolutely had no idea, omg, not even in London?

[haberdashery]

Originally Posted by x1uan

Really? I absolutely had no idea, omg, not even in London?

London is probably the worst for it. Calling round ADs out of town might be useful, but if you don't want to spend half your time travelling to some obscure AD on the outskirts, a trusted seller is probably the better bet!

Even out of London, finding a Sub ND in a window isn't exactly easy. It can be done, but it's all down to luck.

[Etschell]

i bought a sub c no date in 2015 bnib with stickers and my name on the warranty card on this forum and paid 5,900.

[Lovewatches108]

Heathrow airport if you are super lucky. I think they are probably the most afflicted by the SS scarcity in the UK.

[Lemieux66]

London is the least likely place to find a Sub. Airports probably just as unlikely too - they don't seem to get many steel pieces.

If it's only a few hundred dollars you might as well buy in the US, but you know what suits your situation best.

[JohnGreen300]

Was in my U.K AD today and there wasn't one ceramic bezel in sight, no sports models at all on display!
If your determined and get lucky it might well be possible but I'd say it's highly unlikely you get the sub without a lot of ringing around.

[dadonn2]

We all agree finding an ND Sub would be the challenge but:

"5450 GBP after recent 10% raise in UK, and minus 764 GBP tax return"

Isn't the VAT 20%? This would bring the total to 4360GBP or roughly 5400USD. Declaring the watch at customs is said to tack on another 3% so the approximate total would be $5562.

Granted it's not a huge savings but the going rate for a nib sub is more than the 5900 Eliot got his for. Well played Eliot. :)

[Benjo74]

Originally Posted by dadonn2

We all agree finding an ND Sub would be the challenge but:

"5450 GBP after recent 10% raise in UK, and minus 764 GBP tax return"

Isn't the VAT 20%? This would bring the total to 4360GBP or roughly 5400USD. Declaring the watch at customs is said to tack on another 3% so the approximate total would be $5562.

Granted it's not a huge savings but the going rate for a nib sub is more than the 5900 Eliot got his for. Well played Eliot. :)

UK RRP is £5,450 for an 114060. This price is inclusive of 20% VAT, so the tax free price would be £4,541 (i.e. £5,450 / 1.2).

That said, you might well find that your US dollar takes a hit this week on the back of the election result, so it might well work out cheaper to buy in the US after all!

Also, as many have stated already, good luck finding an SS sport model anywhere in London! Heathrow ADs do get them from time to time but they won't let you reserve one and they tend to be sold the moment they are put on display - plenty of wealthy tourists killing time there with a pocket full of cash while waiting for their flights!


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[dadonn2]

Originally Posted by Benjo74

UK RRP is £5,450 for an 114060. This price is inclusive of 20% VAT, so the tax free price would be £4,541 (i.e. £5,450 / 1.2).

Corrected. As you stated, price is inclusive of the VAT, not 20% of the total. Duh on me.

[AK797]

As said, it will be very hard to find a popular SS Rolex, and if you do you might face the problem of an AD keeping your warranty card or refusing to sell to foreigners. It's like a Police State here now, if I could buy in US I would in a heartbeat!

[Onikage]

Everything is more expensive in London. Cost of living, accommodation, lease on shops. Probably worth a train ride somewhere else.

[Nairn1980]

Yeh I've spoken to some ADs recently who petty much said the phone rings constantly from "non locals" after SS models, I'd figure the answer to them is mostly always "NO"

[Alpino]

.


I am in London for the week since yesterday, and I have made the "Rolex tour".
6 or 7 AD visited around Regent street / New & Old Bond street / Knightsbridge / Brompton road ...

I haven't seen any one professionnal model ... except for the Gold or Platinum versions ...

No chance to find a Sub here, unfortunately. DJ II is more easy to find.

[WEST HAM ROLEX]

At Heathrow they don't have waiting lists, so you might just get lucky.
But they never seem to have any sports models..I haven't seen one for a while

AD in London - no chance
On a list for GMT and have friends on list for BLNR/Sub no date

DISCOUNT
You must be joking. Why would an AD give you even 1% discount when he has regular clients on the waiting list....?

So Heathrow.....be lucky. Right place right time