Any recommendations to buy a new Sub from someone in Hamburg or Germany / Paris?

[rolexperfect]

Hi guys!

Some days ago I created a thread about if I should get an SS date Sub being a 24-year-old www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=219315 , and well, I am now pretty convinced on getting one asap! :) I am soon going on a vacation to the south of the world and I'd love to be wearing the Sub those days with nice weather and post some pictures here with the watch in my wrist with a beach on the background ;-)

I live in Germany, and I've asked some trusted sellers on the forums and there are some that have really good deals on SS Subs, but it is not clear how much extra I'll be paying when the watch gets to the German customs. I've heard the customs here is pretty picky and if the value of a good looks too low for what they think it is, they will value it according to their rules/standards. So I am kinda worried that if I get a 2005 SS date Sub for US$5500, plus PayPal fees (yes, with a German PayPal you can't send money for free to US PayPal accounts, so will have to to pay a 4% for the fees), with a total of US$5720, plus around a US$100 more on shipping, and waiting some days on it to get it released from customs.

The thing is that I will be going on this vacation real soon and as I said at the beginning, I'd love to use this watch down there, that means that even if I get I good deal on the watch here on the forum, I won't be able to get it on time before I leave the country. I'll be gone for almost a month.

So I started think about getting a new one. Does someone maybe living in Hamburg/ or Germany know some good dealers that can give a good price when paying cash? I am not German, so when I leave the EU I can get the tax back on any goods I buy that are over 25 €, so I will be able to get the 10% of the whole value.

I was looking at some prices and I found a site of a Berlin-based retailer that has the last ceramic SS date Sub black http://www.tomboom-store.com/content...748428939cb286 priced with a discount at 5600 EUR, that means that with the 10% tax-back, the final cost would be of 5000 EUR.

I don't know what way I should go. I think that it is really more expensive here in Germany compared to the States, but maybe it's better in this case to go to a retailer and get it neu from there, after all it's gonna be my first Rolex.

I will also be in Paris for one day soon and maybe I could also try to find a good deal there... Does anyone know how is the price situation with Rolexes there, maybe someone that lives there or bought before there?

Sorry for the extensive post, but I am really not sure about what to do. It's gonna be my first Rolex and I don't know, I feel I need to get the best bang for the buck, after working hard to be able to get it now.

Cheers

And thanks for reading guys!

[Kingair]

If you buy it out of Europe you have to pay import taxes and the VAT on the Sub (or whatever other item).
So it will cost you around 29 % more calculated on the dollar price you paid.
10 % import taxes (maybe a little lower - have it checked) + German VAT of 19 %
But . . . here is the BIG but : they don't make the conversion $ to € so you loose currently another 30 % on the converse rate.
Maybe it is cheaper to buy a ticket to MIami, buy the watch over there and have a few days fun.

That will still be a lot cheaper than importing it.
And if not you got a terrible story on how you bought your first Rolex !

[rolexperfect]

Thanks Kingair... Then I will totally discard importing it from the US. I was actually just about to close a deal on one.

Then the only option is getting it in Europe and get the tax-back when I get out of the EU for my holidays...

Do you think that 5600 EUR is a good price for the 116610LN? Should prices across Europe be around the same then?



Cheers!

[Kingair]

Have that - tax back - when your going out of the EU on a holiday, checked out to.
Maybe there is a time limit to get the VAT back.

Considering the price (I am actually pretty new to this forum - been reading a lot for almost 2 years) I guess it is a normal price.

3 years ago I bought a Panerai 86 in Germany and the owner contacted me a few months later if I wanted to by a LV for € 3000.00

I said no . . . . what a mistake I did make

But that's life I guess -> learning from mistakes ;-)

[rolexperfect]

Hehe. That's was a good price for sure!

Well, yes. I am now kind of lost on what to do. Will find out about the tax back. It's so bad prices here so much higher than the US, considering that actually we live just a few hours drive from Geneva.

Cheers!

[majdeegans]

Two quick points regarding the VAT return:
1. There is a time limit - I think its 90 days but I am not completely sure about that, could be a year.
2. You don't qualify for a tax refund if you are a permanent resident, i.e. have a valid visa in you passport, even if you are an expat. You have to get the forms stamped by the customs agency before checking in and they wont stamp it if thats the case.

[emo]

check out "www.watch.de"