Moving Coast to Coast. How to Transfer Entire Watch Collection?

[Nicholas D.]

I’ll soon be moving from the east coast to the west coast. Should I schedule for the collection to be shipped via mail, or should I have them on my person during the flight out? Neither option seems thrilling to me, but they have to get out there somehow.

Has anyone been in this scenario? Any advice?

[KY..]

Interesting question, be careful…
If I had to do it with my collection I think I would have to take a road trip or get a Brinks truck…

[amphr1]

How big if a collection are we talking here?

[Bestdj777]

I’ve moved roughly 20 times. Every time I’ve taken anything of any significance to me with me along the way. I won’t let movers handle any of my collections, family heirlooms, of photographs. If I were you, I’d rent a car and drive your watches and anything else of significance with you. Just make sure you take them all inside with you when you stop at a hotel.

[ArtNouveau]

How many are we talking? I moved to another state in August, had movers, but also drove myself. My watchbox was with me with a dozen or so in it, I was wearing my BLRO with my other two most valuable pieces in a travel case.
If you can keep them with you. Better than potentially losing them either from the mover, or shipper.

[Nicholas D.]

That is the tricky part. My wife and I will be road-tripping it. But that will be a drawn out 3-week trip involving over a dozen states, as many hotels, twice as many cities and multiple national parks. I’m definitely not dragging along my collection that entire way. It’s too risky.

That being said, I am considering safe depositing them on the east coast, taking the road trip out west and then flying back east to retrieve them. Then I’d fly back west with them on my person. A drawn out process, but I’m just trying to curb risk.

The collection isn’t huge, 8 watches. Relatively valuable, though: to me and generally speaking.

Sending them with movers was never an option.

I’ve never mailed watches and would rather avoid that option. Unless someone knows of a very secure way.

[28mm]

Originally Posted by Nicholas D.

That is the tricky part. My wife and I will be road-tripping it. But that will be a drawn out 3-week trip involving over a dozen states, as many hotels, twice as many cities and multiple national parks. I’m definitely not dragging along my collection that entire way. It’s too risky.

That being said, I am considering safe depositing them on the east coast, taking the road trip out west and then flying back east to retrieve them. Then I’d fly back west with them on my person. A drawn out process, but I’m just trying to curb risk.

The collection isn’t huge, 8 watches. Relatively valuable, though: to me and generally speaking.

Sending them with movers was never an option.

I’ve never mailed watches and would rather avoid that option. Unless someone knows of a very secure way.

Yes, I drove cross country and was blown away but the amount of stuff that was stolen along the way from the room...Crazy....and leaving valuables in the car is not an option either.

Don't see any problem mailing them individually to a trusted relative or friend. Seems to be the easiest solution to me.

[OrangeSport]

Originally Posted by 28mm

Yes, I drove cross country and was blown away but the amount of stuff that was stolen along the way from the room...Crazy....and leaving valuables in the car is not an option either.

Don't see any problem mailing them individually to a trusted relative or friend. Seems to be the easiest solution to me.

Wait, what? Are you saying the rooms you stayed in were robbed more than once in one trip?

[Sprezzatura!,]

Originally Posted by OrangeSport

Wait, what? Are you saying the rooms you stayed in were robbed more than once in one trip?

I was thinking the same.

Chevy Chase came to mind…

[DeeTee]

Use Ferrari or Malca for shipping.

Easiest way possible. Armed guard picks up, and armed guard delivers fully insured. Will cost less than 1k unless you got a 5m collection moving, then a little more.

[28mm]

Originally Posted by OrangeSport

Wait, what? Are you saying the rooms you stayed in were robbed more than once in one trip?

Yes, I was doing a road trip from Los Angeles cross country driving my GT-3 in 2008. Between the car and the watch and the girlfriend, I guess we were profiled.

First a a shirt I had just bought and was left drying in the bathroom was taken, then a pair of sunglasses, then some toys I had bought for a gift. It was ridiculous.

I've done a lot of traveling and interestingly, never had anything stolen when I am alone.. Come to think of it, maybe my girlfriend or ex- wife are kleptomaniacs as this happened with the ex too!

[VogelPhoenix]

Originally Posted by OrangeSport

Wait, what? Are you saying the rooms you stayed in were robbed more than once in one trip?

Never leave something you can't afford to lose in a hotel room - second only to never put anything in checked luggage that you might really need or want at the other end of the trip. I once had a $50 block of pink Himalaya salt stolen out of a checked bag on a direct flight - apparently some moron figured it was some kind of precious stone

[SocialMediaUser]

Originally Posted by VogelPhoenix

Never leave something you can't afford to lose in a hotel room - second only to never put anything in checked luggage that you might really need or want at the other end of the trip. I once had a $50 block of pink Himalaya salt stolen out of a checked bag on a direct flight - apparently some moron figured it was some kind of precious stone

Doubt they thought it a precious stone. Nose candy more likely

[dannyp]

Originally Posted by Nicholas D.

That is the tricky part. My wife and I will be road-tripping it. But that will be a drawn out 3-week trip involving over a dozen states, as many hotels, twice as many cities and multiple national parks. I’m definitely not dragging along my collection that entire way. It’s too risky.

That being said, I am considering safe depositing them on the east coast, taking the road trip out west and then flying back east to retrieve them. Then I’d fly back west with them on my person. A drawn out process, but I’m just trying to curb risk.

The collection isn’t huge, 8 watches. Relatively valuable, though: to me and generally speaking.

Sending them with movers was never an option.

I’ve never mailed watches and would rather avoid that option. Unless someone knows of a very secure way.

Registered mail is how Rolex insists all watches are sent in for service. It's very secure and my understanding is that packages shipped this was do NOT get misplaced/stolen.

However, I'm not sure why you don't fly out to the new city with them on your person, get a safe deposit box (which presumably you'll need anyways) and then fly back for the road trip?

I suppose, if they're all Rolexes, you could have them all serviced at the same time and then have RUSA return to the new address .

[Oystersteel92]

Originally Posted by dannyp

Registered mail is how Rolex insists all watches are sent in for service. It's very secure and my understanding is that packages shipped this was do NOT get misplaced/stolen.

However, I'm not sure why you don't fly out to the new city with them on your person, get a safe deposit box (which presumably you'll need anyways) and then fly back for the road trip?

I suppose, if they're all Rolexes, you could have them all serviced at the same time and then have RUSA return to the new address .

I think you're on to something with Registered Mail. RM is very slow by nature because chain-of-custody is maintained and it's always under lock and key. OP could essentially send them to himself and have it held at the post office nearest his new residence and then simply go and pick it up when he gets home. As slow as RM is, the package may only beat him by a day or two.

[cascavel]

Originally Posted by Oystersteel92

I think you're on to something with Registered Mail. RM is very slow by nature because chain-of-custody is maintained and it's always under lock and key. OP could essentially send them to himself and have it held at the post office nearest his new residence and then simply go and pick it up when he gets home. As slow as RM is, the package may only beat him by a day or two.

Excellent advice. Based on my own experience with Registered Mail, if you send a package from New York to San Francisco, in three weeks it will have just arrived in Miami.

[KY..]

Originally Posted by Nicholas D.

I am considering safe depositing them on the east coast, taking the road trip out west and then flying back east to retrieve them. Then I’d fly back west with them on my person. A drawn out process, but I’m just trying to curb risk.

The collection isn’t huge, 8 watches. Relatively valuable, though: to me and generally speaking.

Sending them with movers was never an option.

I guess you could send the boxes with the movers or keep them in the car and get one of those ScottEVest so the watches stay with you at all times.
Play

[Kevin of Larchmont]

I’ve put my valuables in a safe and had the movers move the safe with the other household items, something too big to disappear. YMMV.

[28mm]

Originally Posted by Kevin of Larchmont

I’ve put my valuables in a safe and had the movers move the safe with the other household items, something too big to disappear. YMMV.

That would increase anxiety and stress during an already anxiety and stressful event! Nothing is too big to disappear...such as the whole truck!

[denmanproject]

If this isn’t an excuse to get a metal briefcase with a handcuff to your wrist I don’t know what is!

[Wobbly]

Originally Posted by denmanproject

If this isn’t an excuse to get a metal briefcase with a handcuff to your wrist I don’t know what is!

Oh yes !

[ap1]

Originally Posted by denmanproject

If this isn’t an excuse to get a metal briefcase with a handcuff to your wrist I don’t know what is!

[996marty]

I wouldn’t be letting them out of my sight no matter which way I was moving them

[bob sims]

Originally Posted by 996marty

I wouldn’t be letting them out of my sight no matter which way I was moving them

[JSCP]

No way mailing!!

The collection is not huge. Travel by plane with them on board, insured.

[Tim Plains]

Take them on the plane and pay for an extra luggage bag if you have to. How much does a second bag cost, like $40?

[DESH]

Pay Brinks for a secured delivery if you that concerned

[GGGMT]

Hard case carry on. Easy. Unless you have more than 25-30, then I dunno


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[justin81]

Good luck

[B.F. Pigeon]

Originally Posted by justin81

Good luck

Good one.


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