Airport Rolex stores hunting - Nice find at Amsterdam Schiphol

[seccone]

I have been flying through Schiphol periodically for years and when I have some time to kill make it a point to browse the Rolex store in the main shopping hub, which is run by local Rolex AD Gassan. While any watches on display are the less-demanded ref. and even then always behind For Exhibition Only signs, they have been telling me they do receive a small number of watches for sale every month, including some professional models. Yesterday I was browsing and the staff (very welcoming and professional) asked me if there was something in particular I was looking for. I explained I have been thinking for some time about a No date Sub, and discussed briefly why I liked that particular model (the descendant of the original Submariner, seeing it on James Bond's wrist when I was a kid, etc.) They asked what time was my flight, and if I could wait 10 minutes because they might have a watch for me. I left the store for a few minutes and when I came back a No date Sub had magically appeared from out of a safe in the back. They asked whether I wanted to buy it and I did, paying a duty-free price of approx. EUR 7,700. The Netherlands retail price is EUR 9,100. In USD terms I saved $1,000+ over U.S. list price, and of that's assuming you can walk into a U.S. AD and walk out 15 minutes later with a Rolex professional reference on your wrist easy as I did. Needless to say, I was over the moon! I think being specific and informed about what I was looking for helped. I see many travellers walking into airport Rolex stores, and when they are asked about what they are looking for, they respond generically like: Any SS professional model you’ve got. Or, whatever Daytona you can give me. I don't think those sorts of answer get you far with the AD staff.
I guess the moral of the story is: sometimes you can be at the right place at the right time. It’s worth checking out airport Rolex stores, even if most of the time it looks like they exist only for brand promotion rather than to function as a place that actually sells watches . You may get lucky!

[macplee]

great story and good advice

[S.Explorer]

Nice one! Always better to ask than not ask...

[brandrea]

What a serendipitous find!!!

Big congratulations, enjoy it

[CarlOver]

Great discount....enjoy!

[grahammackay86]

Nice, congratulations! The last time I was in that store the sales assistant told me they get new watches in every day… not sure how true that is. Timing is everything at Schiphol!

[Guppydriver]

Congrats!

One of the most coveted references in the lineup! I’m glad it went to someone who clearly loves watches!

[996marty]

Always great to see a purchase when it wasn’t expected

[Redfoot]

That is cool, congratulations and enjoy it!

[marinman]

Did you have to pay customs duty on it when you brought it into the US?

[bibbi]

Great luck! Happy for you!


bibbi

[Cassian739]

Great story and pick-up, congrats! Love the ND Sub

[Rolexnabzy]

Great pick up, Congrats!

[pandajoe]

nice !!! and congrats !

[APhound]

That’s awesome
Made for an enjoyable flight I bet


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Vanyo]

Congrats! This boutique has a number of very professional and pleasant sales associates. I’m based in Amsterdam and visit Schiphol on a weekly basis. My wife and myself bought a number of watches form there, but I could never catch a SS Sub.

[seccone]

Originally Posted by marinman

Did you have to pay customs duty on it when you brought it into the US?

Well, you are supposed to declare, and may pay U.S. import duties as result. You could pack the box and papers and wear the watch and not declare it, but you would be breaking the law and, if you were subject to a random customs search and found would have to pay a fine on top of duties. In my case I was traveling with only hand luggage and would not have been able to hide the duty free bag. In any case I don't want to break the law and when the customs officer asked whether I had acquired something during my trip I did say I had purchased a hoodie sweatshirt and a watch. He asked whether I had any food with me, which I did not. After that I was allowed to exit the customs area without any additional questions asked. All is well that ends well, I suppose. This seems like a situation where YMMV and another customs officer might have asked me for the value of my purchases, in which case it is likely I would have had to pay import duties. It's not worth breaking the law, in my opinion. The way I see it, if we are lucky enough we can afford the watch, we can afford to do the right thing and pay duties, if we must do it.

[enjoythemusic]

Someone is having a VERY happy Halloween



You got the treat!

[Halifax Daytona UK]

Great watch, I prefer the no date.

[AEV]

Great pick up congrats!

[madsitalia]

Originally Posted by seccone

Well, you are supposed to declare, and may pay U.S. import duties as result. You could pack the box and papers and wear the watch and not declare it, but you would be breaking the law and, if you were subject to a random customs search and found would have to pay a fine on top of duties. In my case I was traveling with only hand luggage and would not have been able to hide the duty free bag. In any case I don't want to break the law and when the customs officer asked whether I had acquired something during my trip I did say I had purchased a hoodie sweatshirt and a watch. He asked whether I had any food with me, which I did not. After that I was allowed to exit the customs area without any additional questions asked. All is well that ends well, I suppose. This seems like a situation where YMMV and another customs officer might have asked me for the value of my purchases, in which case it is likely I would have had to pay import duties. It's not worth breaking the law, in my opinion. The way I see it, if we are lucky enough we can afford the watch, we can afford to do the right thing and pay duties, if we must do it.

Congrats. And great that you told the truth but no questions asked

[edyu]

You deserve the good fortune. I love how you do the right thing, which is so rare nowadays. Wear it in good health and the best story I read today.

Originally Posted by seccone

Well, you are supposed to declare, and may pay U.S. import duties as result. You could pack the box and papers and wear the watch and not declare it, but you would be breaking the law and, if you were subject to a random customs search and found would have to pay a fine on top of duties. In my case I was traveling with only hand luggage and would not have been able to hide the duty free bag. In any case I don't want to break the law and when the customs officer asked whether I had acquired something during my trip I did say I had purchased a hoodie sweatshirt and a watch. He asked whether I had any food with me, which I did not. After that I was allowed to exit the customs area without any additional questions asked. All is well that ends well, I suppose. This seems like a situation where YMMV and another customs officer might have asked me for the value of my purchases, in which case it is likely I would have had to pay import duties. It's not worth breaking the law, in my opinion. The way I see it, if we are lucky enough we can afford the watch, we can afford to do the right thing and pay duties, if we must do it.

[NAUI1982]

I go through that airport all the time and always stop in to see Mohammad. I’ve never been able to buy a watch from them. It’s a total crap shoot and according to M, if you happened through when they’ve had some pieces delivered, they won’t hold back. I believe him.

[SpeakWithMichael]

I've always said the strategy is:

1. Local
2. Likable
3. Lucrative

Some people don't know how to be likable and come off worse than they realize. Or greedy and desperate, which makes you not likable to Rolex sales staff. Some refuse to change their ways and then wonder why they have a hard time and get frustrated with the game. This was my experience in Spain, and this list is ordered appropriately. Maybe in the US big markets, lucrative is more important than likable, or even with it. But as you can see from this example in Europe, likable is important.

[SudiYunus]

Congratz

[Watchsprings]

Congratulations, I guess I’ll say it “it’s happening!”

[stark1]

Awesome find and great story. Thanks for sharing!

[rmlovett1]

Congratulations!

[Zach69SS]

Congrats, nice one. Wear it in good health.

Cheers,

[dmhines]

Congrats. Nice score !