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?

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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 .

[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

[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

[logo]

Wear them? Add in all the extra links, between you and your wife 8 watches = one for each wrist and ankle. Fly it out, safe deposit box, then fly back for the road trip. Or do it in two parts - wear half, leave the other half in a safe deposit box then return for them.

[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!

[Dav1dB]

Sell them. Problem solved.

[fwong208]

I've received and sent out dozens of watches across the country via FedEx overnight priority with no issues at all.

With that being said, I've also moved across country. I carried them on me in a backpack I never stopped wearing no matter where I went across 5 days. Never left my sight. Keep in mind I didn't go sight seeing or do anything other than eat, drive, and sleep.

Why go through all the headache of flying, when you can just bring them with you and enjoy them while travelling.

[rootbeer7]

Short term Bank safe locally to new address. Fly them in on person before move. Move and then retrieve.

[Old Expat Beast]

Take them in Pelican case, make a day of it. Something to tell the grandkids.

[norcalctr]

Fly with them and don’t check-in your bag with the watches. Way safer having them with you at all times. I would try not to sleep on the flight either.

[RJRJRJ]

Put them in your carry on/backpack and keep them with you. Funny rent a car and drive though the whole country with them on you are some suggestions. Same concept, but one gets you to your destination in hours instead of days, and one doesn't require you to drive though places you'd never want to find yourself having to be. Ship the boxes and keep the watches and cards on your person.

[Danny83]

Airplane and watchrolls

[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 !

[N_Architect]

I went through 8 international relocations in 10 years.

Collection at the time was a total of abt 25 pcs, with five of them being hi-end pcs like 5712/1A, ALS Dato Pt first gen, 116505, Calatrava 5196J, JLC Reverso Sun-Moon.

Due to the nature of cross-border travel and to avoid value/tax declaration I had the hi-end part of the collection scattered here and there. Two heavy pcs on me (on board when flying for the relocation) while the remaining hi-end pcs were in the safe of a close friend and watch collector in Asia.

I had a small safe (weight 42kg) for use at home but you never put heavy pcs there and off to the shipping container with the rest of your belongings. Only my JDM G-Shocks traveled with the container (Asia to Europe liner sea transportation with insurance).

As few others mentioned, you should not mail.
The pcs will go with you, onboard.
You travel CONUS, so really no airport or duty/tax issues.

Use a Pelican case or whatever else.
Upon arrival at destination, straight off to a bank vault facility.
Once settled at your new location, only then things can go back to normal.
Take no risks.

Edit: I am sorry, just read you are road tripping.
Then no, use bank safe and then after your road trip fly back to retrieve.
Watches with you during the road trip will spoil the trip and the risk is high (hotels etc.)
This is what I would do.

[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

[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…