Canadian Import Duties

[rescue7]

Originally Posted by Brenngun

If you buy one in the USA and wear it back it's no problem. They can't prove you bought it while you were in country. As for the boxes and paper work a quick stop at a local US post office will take care of that llittle problem. I love receiving mail from myself..........

Every Rolex watch comes with a warranty card that contains a country code.
This will show the destination of each Rolex watch.

In saying "They can't prove you bought it', works the opposite with Customs Canada. They will be asking YOU for proof that the watch was purchased in Canada, and duties and applicable taxes were paid.

Lastly all Rolex watches are registered with Rolex Canada and they can also verify that a watch was bought thru a Canadian AD.

With the stronger Canadian dollar and the risk of being caught at the border I will continue to buy my Rolex watches thru a local Ad that I frequent.

[dsrb]

I was told that if you have a service record from Rolex Canada Service Dept, this would alleviate any concern over where the watch was bought, and would prove you own the watch. Doesn't avoid duties, and doesn't get around the fact that you've avoided taxes, but you then have some proof of ownership.

[impalass]

Agree with rescue7 100%

I recently purchased a new SS Daytona (black) from a Canadian AD for list price. Visited this AD for the first time and made an unexpected impulse purchase. Put some money down on it and will be picking it up next week.

Explored all the other buying options after the fact and have come to the conclusion that with the Daytonas firm prices and Canada Customs being know for their irritable bowl syndrome, to say the least, I'm very happy with my transaction.

Can't speak for customs in the States, but ours can give an asprin a headache, and very often do. Imho unless one can pick up across the boarder, buy from a Canadian AD and enjoy the peace of mind.

[Rippin]

Peace of mind goes a long way, and generally if I have to pay just a "little" more I'll buy locally (from a Canadian AD). But I've purchased watches from the US, just recently from DavidSW, and I've had no problems with excessive duties and taxes and saved quite a bit than buying locally. Yes, if I wear the watch out of the country AND the customs officer decides to question the origin of purchase, I'd be in a bit of a pickle, but I've NEVER seen that happen. I would think (and hope) those officers would have a lot more important issues to look out for.

[Danand]

Originally Posted by Brenngun

If you buy one in the USA and wear it back it's no problem. They can't prove you bought it while you were in country. As for the boxes and paper work a quick stop at a local US post office will take care of that llittle problem. I love receiving mail from myself..........

As others have pointed out this iswrong. If the watch is questioned YOU will need to prove you bought it in Canada or imported it properly. They will seize it until you provide proof or pay the tax, duty, and fines ( usually doubling the tax and duty).
If you have brought it in successfully then wear it out again it is less likely to be questioned if it shows enough signs of wear-scratches, dirt in the usual places-under the clasp, in between links, etc. So don't give it a really good clean before taking it on vacation

[Mickey®]

Is there not a problem "shipping/importing" Rolex into Canada as there is in USA?
I've heard horror stories about watches being confiscated because ONLY ROLEX can "import"? Even James Dowling had one taken...

Thanks for info...

[Danand]

Originally Posted by Mickey®

Is there not a problem "shipping/importing" Rolex into Canada as there is in USA?
I've heard horror stories about watches being confiscated because ONLY ROLEX can "import"? Even James Dowling had one taken...

Thanks for info...

I don't think so. The problem is one way as far as I know. Canadian customs don't care that the US has a different distributor for rolex watches. If the importation was a large number of pieces it might make a difference, but I have never heard of a watch coming into Canada being siezed because it was not brought in by the Canadian importer (rolex).

[greenkawasaki]

A great site for us Canadians is http://thefinalcost.com/ It calculates all the typical costs of importing an item from the States.

[impalass]

Originally Posted by Danand

I don't think so. The problem is one way as far as I know. Canadian customs don't care that the US has a different distributor for rolex watches. If the importation was a large number of pieces it might make a difference, but I have never heard of a watch coming into Canada being siezed because it was not brought in by the Canadian importer (rolex).

True, Rolex USA is far more stringent about Rolex watches coming in to the country, and have far more political clout as compared to Canada, where the numbers do no add up enough for Rolex Canada to care.

[gulruyetkin]

Hello all,

I got my permanent residence and I will be moving to Canada end of April. I will be entering from Toronto. I have a Rolex watch that I bought from Zurich, Switzerland 8 years ago in 2010. Do I still need to declare my wrist watch? If I need to, will I be paying the taxes from the purchase price in 2010?

[tk416]

Originally Posted by gulruyetkin

Hello all,

I got my permanent residence and I will be moving to Canada end of April. I will be entering from Toronto. I have a Rolex watch that I bought from Zurich, Switzerland 8 years ago in 2010. Do I still need to declare my wrist watch? If I need to, will I be paying the taxes from the purchase price in 2010?

Congrats and I wouldn’t even worry about it.

[Dfiled]

Originally Posted by Denver Dick

Whoa! Governments don't make diddly-squat, they just take.

Spoken by someone who doesn’t have universal healthcare.


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[gulruyetkin]

Originally Posted by tk416

Congrats and I wouldn’t even worry about it.

Thanks a lot!

[Mohawkman450]

I’ve bought lots of watches in Mexico , jaimaica ,Bahamas ,USA an always just wore the watch home an had all paper work shipped back in someone else name . Canada customs look for Rolex boxes in mail an If u mail it back to yourself to your address with all your info on the warranty card an customs runs your name when u entered Canada an from what country u came from they will know u bought a watch ! I’ve heard a first hand story of how someone got burned jus5 like ! Guy bought 3 Rolex in cancun! He an his family wore watches home but he shipped boxes to himself an Canada customs Found boxes in mail an fined him pretty good ! So it up to u what to do ! Me I would just wear it home an don’t draw Any attention to your self ! Cheers

[speedracer]

Sorry to bump an Old thread. Will be shipping my vintage rollie out to the states or HK (CLassic watch repair) but not sure of which carrier to use and how to instruct the repair place i chose to ship the watch back without having to pay taxes on it.

I will have to send the entire watch due to it being an integrated bracelet (rolex 9083) so i will be trying to insure it for atleast 2k Canadian.

Thanks in advance

[spacebjorn]

Was this watch purchased in Canada? Do you still have records if it? I’d forward that to the watch repair company and tell them to stash it the packaging when it’s sent back to you.

The CBSA agent who inspects the content will probably need to make a decision if the said watch is indeed a ‘repaired return’.. so the more records you have to prove that you’ve either bought the watch domestically or have paid duties and taxes in the past for it the better.


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[Cambo]

This is what I used when I bought my BLRO from the US

https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-v...t-cal-eng.html

[i3kc]

Originally Posted by Rippin

That information is good to know. I guess a way around this is to get the watch appraised and use that when insuring the item. No need to show a receipt at that point.

I've worked for a few insurance companies in the claims department. Although the appraisal would support an insured value, ownership of item would be a separate item. I recall more than a few instances where if the customer bought an item (Rolex in specific) outside of Canada, proof of declaration of the item at the border was asked for. In cases where the customer could not show declaration (taxes paid) then the claim was denied. I believe it fell under the exclusion of illegal imported goods. So it's YMMV when it comes to dealing with an Insurance company.