Experience buying a Pelagos

[civicsteve]

I wanted a Tudor Pelagos since the day it was unveiled last year. I have a think for dive watches (GMT IIc and PO), but the Pelagos is something special. Not being available in the US made me want it even more.

We recently traveled to Paris and I vowed to return home with one. Not knowing the AD structure abroad, finding a Tudor wasn't as easy as one would think. They're made by Rolex, so every or most Rolex ADs will carry them, right? Not! I visited several Rolex ADs across Paris until I finally asked one shop for a list of stores that carried Tudor.

The Pelagos is a hot watch at the moment and many of the dealers I visited had a waiting list. Determined to find the watch, I pursued further. One department store carried it, but upon inspection it had been handled too much and they refused to bargain. Understood for a large department store, but not how I roll.

I found a second at a small nearby shop - interestingly not a Rolex dealer, but carried B&R, Tag ect. With the several brands they carried, Tudor was the least prominently displayed - hidden in a corner. Nevertheless, I tried it on and started to negotiate. They ABSOLUTELY refused to deal. Not even a little. The salesman said no AD in Paris would deal on a Pelagos. Again, I refuse to pay retail, so I departed.

The following day, we made the drive to Luxembourg and the pursuit continued. A local AD carried the Pelagos and it was flawless. Little handling and was sized to fit. Fifteen minutes later I wore it out. They were excellent to work with and DID discount. Not as much as I'd have liked, but every bit counts.

This was the first time I had returned from an international trip having to declare items. I did a good deal of research prior to the trip, but no clear answers were evident. VAT in Luxembourg is 15 percent, 4.6-percent lower than France. Of that, 10-percent is refunded at the airport. I opted for the immediate cash refund rather than waiting for a cred card refund - not something I want to be chasing after.

Returning to the US and paying duty was also a big mystery to me. How much would I have to pay? Would it be the entirety of the 10-percent refund I had gathered earlier in the day? The answer isn't completely transparent, but I'll do my best. Each traveler in a single family is allotted $800 in duty-free goods - able to be combined. Luckily, my party (wife and two kids) amounted to $3200 in duty-free goods. Any amount beyond that is taxed at 3 percent - easy, and not even close to worth considering avoiding. Not sure of the penalty, but I'm sure it's not worth it.

Now, after three weeks on the wrist, I couldn't be happier. This watch flies under the radar and is very stout and timeless. I can't wait to pick up another Tudor.