What is the best way to post a watch in the UK?

[PeterT]

Hi,
I might be selling one of my watches and so went to investigate the best way to send it at the post office. It appears that even the most secure service only carries insurance of up to £2000, which is not enough.
So which is the best way to send a watch to ensure security and suitable insurance in the UK?

Cheers, PeterT

[TempoKing]

In the past the joke was that if you wanted your watch stollen
just sent by HM postal service and ...describe in the insurance form
that it is a watch or jewelry.

[Jimbits76]

Send it by courier.

I have to say that I've often sent my vintage watch via Royal Mail next day special delivery insured and I've had no problems.

If the watch is insured on your home policy you might be okay anyway considering the 2000 limit.

Just tell them it's valuable and not a watch when the P.O worker asks the contents.

J

PS I always take copious photos of the contents with the current newspaper before I seal the package just in case.

[swatch]

Royal Mail Special Delivery will cover upto £2500.
Maybe you should lower your asking price
A lot of couriers (Fedex) will exclude cover for watches in the insurance small print.
What might be better to look for is a Goods in Transit (GIT) insurance that will work with personal accounts.
Ive seen http://www.transit2insure.com/ mentioned before but they do state commerical clients only.

[AJF]

Would it not be easier doing a face to face transaction. If you are up North and he down South, somewhere in the middle, say a hotel lounge in Birmingham.

AJF

[vapalux]

I either do face to face like Ally has said. I like this the best

or

I have posted and received by Royal Mail Special Delivery. Just had to put the value on the envelope.

Even had delivery of a watch from Rolex by Special Delivery

Si

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by AJF

Would it not be easier doing a face to face transaction. If you are up North and he down South, somewhere in the middle, say a hotel lounge in Birmingham.

AJF

No problems with a face to face transaction. How do you sort out payment? I am sure that not many people want to carry £thousands around with them. A cheque would need clearance before releasing the watch.

So what have your face to face experiences been like in the UK?

PeterT

[Welshwatchman]

I have used RMSD sending a watch which was worth £500 more than the insured limit but would be nervous of going a lot higher.

In any instance I would recommend the use of "double boxing" and completely sealing the outside of the box with firm instruction that the recipient checks for any interference in transit and that they quickly open and check the package in front of the postie.

[kzm40]

Originally Posted by PeterT

No problems with a face to face transaction. How do you sort out payment? I am sure that not many people want to carry £thousands around with them. A cheque would need clearance before releasing the watch.

So what have your face to face experiences been like in the UK?

PeterT

I did a face to face in Claridges London, worked a treat, I happened to be there for a conference and the US buyer happened to be in london at the same time. (took a while arrange, then it all came together) I banked the cash straight afterwards.. There's no point doing anything other than cash this way.

[PeterT]

Anyone with a nasty experience?

P.

[paulgjohnston]

I have sent hundreds of items including a Rolex watches by special delivery and never had a problem, always delivered before 1pm the following day.

[Spark]

Rolex send all their serviced watches by Special Delivery in the UK that are not collected in person.
I have sent and received many, many watches by Special Delivery and have never had any serious problem.
I had a watch that took a few days to arrive once, which was a bit of a worry, but it turned up safe and well in the end.

[082013]

RMSD insures you for £2500, and touch wood, out of many, many I have sent, none have ever gone astray.

The fact that RSC uses them is a bit of a red herring, as I am pretty certain they will have a separate policy covering their watches, as I am sure they do not send £10/£20/£30K watches via this method and just hope for the best.

[AJF]

Originally Posted by PeterT

No problems with a face to face transaction. How do you sort out payment? I am sure that not many people want to carry £thousands around with them. A cheque would need clearance before releasing the watch.

So what have your face to face experiences been like in the UK?

PeterT

I was assuming that a wire to wire transfer had been provisional agreed. I have not sold a watch, but personally would feel uncomfortable transporting anything valuable like that by post registered or not.

AJF

[082013]

Why feel uncomfortable? It's insured for £2500?

Do you drive a car, is it insured, do you feel uncomfortable driving it?

[AJF]

Originally Posted by 082013

Why feel uncomfortable? It's insured for £2500?

Do you drive a car, is it insured, do you feel uncomfortable driving it?

I was assuming that the replacement value of the watch was much higher than the £2,500 insurance limit, hence the concern in using a courier.

AJF

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by AJF

I was assuming that the OP is looking at selling the watch for a much higher value than the £2,500 insurance limit, hence the concern in using a courier.

AJF

Yes this is the issue.
It seems that RMSD seems to be secure from what people have been saying. You just seem to be taking a chance if the compensation is only up to £2500.
I will have to make some more enquiries at the post office.

PeterT

[AJF]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Yes this is the issue.
It seems that RMSD seems to be secure from what people have been saying. You just seem to be taking a chance if the compensation is only up to £2500.
I will have to make some more enquiries at the post office.

PeterT

Thinking outside the box, might there be specialist insurance company's that operate within say the London Lloyds Insurance Market that cover this sort of transaction. Might be worth investigating, or perhaps speaking with an AD to find out how they go about insuring their watches.

Just a thought!

AJF

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by AJF

Thinking outside the box, might there be specialist insurance company's that operate within say the London Lloyds Insurance Market that cover this sort of transaction. Might be worth investigating, or perhaps speaking with an AD to find out how they go about insuring their watches.

Just a thought!

AJF

Yes, that is worth a try.

P.

[Spark]

Originally Posted by 082013

RMSD insures you for £2500, and touch wood, out of many, many I have sent, none have ever gone astray.

The fact that RSC uses them is a bit of a red herring, as I am pretty certain they will have a separate policy covering their watches, as I am sure they do not send £10/£20/£30K watches via this method and just hope for the best.

My point was their confidence in the service more than the insurance.
I wouldn't want to try and claim on any insurance for shipping such an item as I'm sure it would be a minefield to say the least.
I can't see any insurance company coughing up without a long drawn out battle to be honest.

[AJF]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Yes, that is worth a try.

P.

www.dream-watches.co.uk send out all their watches by courier.

Might be worth checking the site to see who they use and if any small print details what the cover policy is.

AJF

[082013]

The courier company wont be covering the insurance side, they will be using separate insurance. One such company is parcelpro.com. If your watch is worth more than £2500, you can call them and they will now add additional insurance to that offered by RMSD.

[082013]

Originally Posted by Spark

My point was their confidence in the service more than the insurance.

I see. The service in my experience has always been great. I just didn't want people to think that because Rolex use them they must be fully insured by the post office.

Originally Posted by Spark

I wouldn't want to try and claim on any insurance for shipping such an item as I'm sure it would be a minefield to say the least.
I can't see any insurance company coughing up without a long drawn out battle to be honest.

Not in my experience. I have probably heard of two, out of all the grey dealers I know, losing shipments. No problem with claiming, as long as the necessary paperwork can be supplied.

Shockingly the UK seems to have one service that runs quite efficiently

[Spark]

Originally Posted by 082013

I see. The service in my experience has always been great. I just didn't want people to think that because Rolex use them they must be fully insured by the post office.



Not in my experience. I have probably heard of two, out of all the grey dealers I know, losing shipments. No problem with claiming, as long as the necessary paperwork can be supplied.

Shockingly the UK seems to have one service that runs quite efficiently

Now you are winding me up