Buying a watch from Italy returning to the US?

[lilokito]

Has anyone bought a Rolex from Italy and brought it back to the US?
I was just wondering if the watch needs to be declared when you get back and how much taxes you have to pay for so I can calculate if it's worth buying a watch from Italy.

[MonBK]

Originally Posted by lilokito

Has anyone bought a Rolex from Italy and brought it back to the US?
I was just wondering if the watch needs to be declared when you get back and how much taxes you have to pay for so I can calculate if it's worth buying a watch from Italy.

Of course.

[REFZ]

I guess you can find the answer on the website of US customs.

[lilokito]

I am still trying to look for the exact calculation or tax rate but it seems to differ with the duty tax calculators as well. I was hoping someone has done it before.
Thank you

[Al1969]

Originally Posted by lilokito

I am still trying to look for the exact calculation or tax rate but it seems to differ with the duty tax calculators as well. I was hoping someone has done it before.
Thank you

Use the search function, there are quite a few threads on it.
Most say to plan for at least 3 to 4% of value.

[lilokito]

Originally Posted by Al1969

Use the search function, there are quite a few threads on it.
Most say to plan for at least 3 to 4% of value.

thanks! I just saw one member got charged 3% when he bought his watch in 2015. not bad at all! the calculators online were showing 11% lol

[jonnyz1245]

I was in Italy last fall and no AD's had any SS sports in stock so good luck if thats what you are looking to get.

As for customs, declare it. Always . Why risk it? If you lie and are flagged, good luck with your future travels and for what? a few hundred bucks? FYI Over the years I have bought a couple watches abroad. I declared both. One agent said nice watch and waived me through and the other charged me a couple hundred to three hundred(I forget as it was years ago)bucks duty and it was over a NY minute.

They use a schedule and if I recall correctly it works out to a little over 3% of the total value.

[lilokito]

Originally Posted by jonnyz1245

I was in Italy last fall and no AD's had any SS sports in stock so good luck if thats what you are looking to get.

As for customs, declare it. Always . Why risk it? If you lie and are flagged, good luck with your future travels and for what? a few hundred bucks? FYI Over the years I have bought a couple watches abroad. I declared both. One agent said nice watch and waived me through and the other charged me a couple hundred to three hundred(I forget as it was years ago)bucks duty and it was over a NY minute.

They use a schedule and if I recall correctly it works out to a little over 3% of the total value.

def declaring it. 3% sounds about what most people are saying and reading. i just have to factor that in. i do hope they have some ss in their AD's!

[billee]

I have bought several watches over seas and returned to US. It depends on your customs officer. I bought Rolex last November and he looked at my slip and sent us through with no questions asked.

[mml4]

I was in Rome last month. The AD on the Via Condotti is named Hausman. It is about two blocks off of the Spanish Steps. He had 3 SkyDwellers in PM in the window and no sport watches in TT,SS or PM. The Rolex Boutique in the Airport had one GMT in YG and a few DJs' and that was it.
Check out the ITC Boutique and the Jaeger-LeCoultre Boutique on the Piazza D'Espagna. The JLC has a few special models in the window with prices over $200,000.

[RHJ]

In the last days I saw newly SS watches in Italy. Go in smaller cities to look for. For example Pavia is 30km in the south Milan with two ADs. Last weekend I saw there some.

[mvera339]

I did a purchase in Italy back a few years and will forever regret it. It was the worst experience of my life. I would just purchase it here in the states. But back to my story, if you were to purchase over seas; make sure you double and triple check the watch. They sold me a watch that had a huge dent into the case.
Again- double and triple check the watch before leaving the AD. Good luck.

[RolexWombat]

Technically there’s an extensive schedule (which you can find on line) which categorizes every thing from just movements imported in quantity to clocks and individual watches according to the metal(s) of the case, bracelet, type of movement, number of jewels, whether precious stones are used on the dial, etc...

Practically I somewhat doubt the customs officer at the airport goes into that much detail and may just go with some kind of flat % rate since you were nice enough to declare it to them rather than just wear it on your wrist walk through as if you owned the watch before your trip abroad...

[beshannon]

Originally Posted by lilokito

Has anyone bought a Rolex from Italy and brought it back to the US?
I was just wondering if the watch needs to be declared when you get back and how much taxes you have to pay for so I can calculate if it's worth buying a watch from Italy.

Everything you purchase while out of the country that you are bringing back needs to be declared

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/internati...toms-duty-info

[RolexNorth]

Post mail the boxes back and wear the watch back on your wrist. Wear a long sleeve shirt i you're so concerned about it. No one's going to tell you to raise your sleeves to look at your watch. Heck, wear a light jacket if you have too.

[Fort Rolex]

Bought one and wore it home no problem although traveling was so hectic i forgot I had it ��

[Tools]

Originally Posted by RolexNorth

Post mail the boxes back and wear the watch back on your wrist. Wear a long sleeve shirt i you're so concerned about it. No one's going to tell you to raise your sleeves to look at your watch. Heck, wear a light jacket if you have too.

Sure... and when you get caught committing this Federal crime just say that an Internet forum said you could do it..

[DoctorA]

Originally Posted by lilokito

Has anyone bought a Rolex from Italy and brought it back to the US?
I was just wondering if the watch needs to be declared when you get back and how much taxes you have to pay for so I can calculate if it's worth buying a watch from Italy.

Search on the forum. There are tons of threads to answer your questiksafe travels

[bmrisko]

My wife and I have brought several watches back on different trips from Tokyo that exceeded our combined $1600 allowance. We have always declared them as such and have never had to pay taxes, even though we're fully prepared to pay the ~4% and factor that into our buying decision when overseas.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by Tools

Sure... and when you get caught committing this Federal crime just say that an Internet forum said you could do it..

i agree. Not good. However almost everyone freely discusses shipping from AD to out of state addresses too. That is the same thing. State tax evasion vs federal tax evasion for import duty. IMO there is no difference.

[thomaswentworth]

Declare it or you could have some explaining to do in a small room at the airport and risk confiscation and fines.

[beshannon]

Originally Posted by RolexNorth

Post mail the boxes back and wear the watch back on your wrist. Wear a long sleeve shirt i you're so concerned about it. No one's going to tell you to raise your sleeves to look at your watch. Heck, wear a light jacket if you have too.

Encouraging people to commit a Federal crime is not a good idea.

[thomaswentworth]

Originally Posted by RolexNorth

Post mail the boxes back and wear the watch back on your wrist. Wear a long sleeve shirt i you're so concerned about it. No one's going to tell you to raise your sleeves to look at your watch. Heck, wear a light jacket if you have too.

The boxes being shipped back by themselves could maybe cause CBP to look into the matter further. Probably rare, but they could open that package you shipped to yourself and immediately draw the conclusion that you didn't declare a watch.

[fastmd]

I just got back from Milan and purchased 2 sky dwellers from Pisa O the huge Rolex AD, one SS and one gold. Got my full 22% back and they took care of everything. I'm global entry so I don't mess around, declared, they said they had no time and said have a nice day.

Thanked me for being honest. The SS Sky dweller ended up costing me $1100K under MSRP plus no tax. Got a great discount on the Rose Gold as well.

[bmrisko]

Originally Posted by fastmd

I just got back from Milan and purchased 2 sky dwellers from Pisa O the huge Rolex AD, one SS and one gold. Got my full 22% back and they took care of everything. I'm global entry so I don't mess around, declared, they said they had no time and said have a nice day.

Thanked me for being honest. The SS Sky dweller ended up costing me $1100K under MSRP plus no tax. Got a great discount on the Rose Gold as well.

Yup, definitely don't want to jeopardize current GE or getting it in the future if you don;t already have it!

Hopefully Switzerland and Italy have some good inventory when I'm there in a couple months.

[lilokito]

Just got back from Italy and there were no sports models other than the Explorer I. I checked in 3 AD's in Milan close to the Duomo. I checked in Rome and Cassetti in Florence. The AD in Milan did say restocking will probably be in June or July. Thanks for the input guys!