Importing a watch from UK to US, duties?

[Manofsteelpt]

Looking at a watch in the UK and it would be shipped to the US. What are the taxes/duties to be paid upon delivery? Is there a certain % for a SS $8k watch (Non Rolex)?
Thanks...

[Baco Noir]

You can find it on the Customs website. I googled it years ago when I was looking at doing the same, but didn't pull the trigger. I don't recall what the % was. I read later in a post here that while that is the published % often times they get let through without charging anything.

Here's a 3rd party website for estimating and it says it's between 5.6-30% depending on the materials used in construction.

http://www.dutycalculator.com/popula...xes-for-watch/


Sent from my iPad Air 2 using Tapatalk (so I blame autocorrect for the spellin' errs)

[Manofsteelpt]

Thanks... I tried that yest, said 4%, but other things I've read said 15-20%.

[Old Expat Beast]

You need to read this. http://www.crownandcaliber.com/watch...united-states/

[Manofsteelpt]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

You need to read this. http://www.crownandcaliber.com/watch...united-states/

Thanks, but my OP said NOT a Rolex as I knew this would come up.

[Tools]

Watches are tariffed on a formula because movement, bracelets, and cases are all different..

It believe that it usually works out to around 5-8% or so. I have never heard of a 15% charge... that doesn't seem practical.

[Gaijin]

This just burns my butt. I am an American who has been living abroad for nearly 7 years. If and when I decide to go home I may have to liquidate my collection down to one Rolex. Which would be the one that I gave my Dad for his 80th birthday and I received back upon his death.

All the saving and collecting I have done all for nothing if I want to return home. I am not a dealer importing watches just a WIS with a decent collection I worked hard for.

[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by Gaijin

This just burns my butt. I am an American who has been living abroad for nearly 7 years. If and when I decide to go home I may have to liquidate my collection down to one Rolex. Which would be the one that I gave my Dad for his 80th birthday and I received back upon his death.

This does seem like a strange Catch-22, if you will, and certainly a dark side of Rolex collecting.

I would contact Rolex USA, just to get the facts straight from them, even if it is what we already know.

I can't believe that their intent is to make owners divest themselves of their property because they wish to relocate.

[james1787]

I would think there has to be some sort of solution to accommodate relocating. I wonder if perhaps Rolex could ship them from one Rsc to another Rsc for someone relocating to the states.

[Gaijin]

Thanks guys. I hope you are right. The spirit of the law and the letter of the law. I am sure that the intent was to keep importers and greys out of the US marketplace not to relieve a hard core Rolex fan out of their hard earned collection.

[Old Expat Beast]

Tom, I once asked a well known dealer/collector at a vintage watch show how he managed to get his stock (about 30 pieces, mostly Rolex) in and out of the UK to attend these type of events. He told me he used an agent. I'm not sure what he meant, and the tone of his answer didn't really invite a follow-up question. But these are the guys to ask...dealers who attend international watch shows, and who travel overseas on buying trips.

[Jocke]

Originally Posted by Gaijin

Thanks guys. I hope you are right. The spirit of the law and the letter of the law. I am sure that the intent was to keep importers and greys out of the US marketplace not to relieve a hard core Rolex fan out of their hard earned collection.

Here in Sweden, it is the difference between imports and household goods. If I move back to Sweden from another country,
so I do not need to pay any charges on my household goods whatever it is so long it's legal in Sweden.

[rr-nyc]

Originally Posted by Gaijin

This just burns my butt. I am an American who has been living abroad for nearly 7 years. If and when I decide to go home I may have to liquidate my collection down to one Rolex. Which would be the one that I gave my Dad for his 80th birthday and I received back upon his death.

All the saving and collecting I have done all for nothing if I want to return home. I am not a dealer importing watches just a WIS with a decent collection I worked hard for.

Whatever you bought while living abroad, meaning you resided outside of the US, wouldn't be taxed upon you moving back to the US.

You paid the local taxes wherever you resided.

[Manofsteelpt]

Originally Posted by Tools

Watches are tariffed on a formula because movement, bracelets, and cases are all different..

It believe that it usually works out to around 5-8% or so. I have never heard of a 15% charge... that doesn't seem practical.

Thanks Larry, SS case, fabric strap... No precious metal, no exotic strap skin.

[Gaijin]

Originally Posted by rr-nyc

Whatever you bought while living abroad, meaning you resided outside of the US, wouldn't be taxed upon you moving back to the US.

You paid the local taxes wherever you resided.

Renato, I am not worried about any tariffs or taxes. I would gladly pay them. I am worried about customs seizing my collection as Rolex USA seems to have a ban on bringing in more then one watch. It is not fiscally feasible for me to make several trips.

[rr-nyc]

Originally Posted by Gaijin

Renato, I am not worried about any tariffs or taxes. I would gladly pay them. I am worried about customs seizing my collection as Rolex USA seems to have a ban on bringing in more then one watch. It is not fiscally feasible for me to make several trips.

I think the difference would be importation vs repatriation. You are simply bringing your personal property home after living abroad. Rolex may have a ban on importing more than one watch at a time but they could not possibly prove that watches accumulated over years is in the same scope nor in the spirit of the law they are using to assert the ban

[Gaijin]

Originally Posted by rr-nyc

I think the difference would be importation vs repatriation. You are simply bringing your personal property home after living abroad. Rolex may have a ban on importing more than one watch at a time but they could not possibly prove that watches accumulated over years is in the same scope nor in the spirit of the law they are using to assert the ban

I am going to get a definitive answer on this. I am going to call Rolex USA in New York. Hard to do with my work and the time difference here. But I will get it done. I will report back here or start another thread.