Pay duties?

[ericf4]

Anyone know how it works buying watch in St Maarten for example and bringing back to US? Do you pay taxes, duties etc when coming back home? Also any idea how much? Trying to figure whether discount prices here are worth it if I'm gonna get wacked with some duty on way back. Thx guys!

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[CGSshorty]

I always just said no when asked if I purchased anything. That was a long time ago, though.

[Nellipj]

Give Mark a quick call. He can tell you the best plan.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[gr8sw]

they will whack you if you declare watches & jewelry purchased abroad... http://fbaforward.com/customs-duty-calculator/

[logan2z]

Some info here that seems consistent with what I found when I researched this a while ago:
https://forums.watchuseek.com/f2/what-c ... 561?page=1

[Joeprez]

A friend recently bought a watch on St. Maarten, he had the AD send the box via USPS to his house and wore the watch the rest of the trip without declaring it when he got back to US soil.

[Nellipj]

A friend recently bought a watch on St. Maarten, he had the AD send the box via USPS to his house and wore the watch the rest of the trip without declaring it when he got back to US soil.

Exactly this. That is what I would do.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[HapaHapa]

A friend recently bought a watch on St. Maarten, he had the AD send the box via USPS to his house and wore the watch the rest of the trip without declaring it when he got back to US soil.

Yes. Scotch tape it if worried about scratches during air travel

[ericf4]

A friend recently bought a watch on St. Maarten, he had the AD send the box via USPS to his house and wore the watch the rest of the trip without declaring it when he got back to US soil.

Perfect!

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[logan2z]

A friend recently bought a watch on St. Maarten, he had the AD send the box via USPS to his house and wore the watch the rest of the trip without declaring it when he got back to US soil.

Exactly this. That is what I would do.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I was going to suggest this too, but assumed you'd need to fill in a customs declaration for the box when shipping it. So how would you describe the shipment, "empty watch box"? Probably not the best idea. Anything else would be a lie on the declaration.

Frankly I'd just suck it up and pay the duties rather than risk a major fine. I'm sure it wouldn't be more than a couple hundred bucks.

[ericf4]

May end up a non issue as I'll bet the price I got from the AD in US will still be better than the island. We'll see. The AD in US certainly thinks so. Who knows. I'm not sure how great a deal I'll find in ST Maarten. Tbd tomorrow.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[sierra11b]

I've never bought from there but always used the opportunity to try on what I wanted and then try to source later.

[snootydog]

I've never once been asked by Customs why I've got more than one watch with me when I go abroad twice a year. They were all over my illegal amount of cigarettes though......bastards

[Jeep99dad]

May end up a non issue as I'll bet the price I got from the AD in US will still be better than the island. We'll see. The AD in US certainly thinks so. Who knows. I'm not sure how great a deal I'll find in ST Maarten. Tbd tomorrow.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

What Watch are you after ?

[toxicavenger]

hide it in your bum

[HapaHapa]

hide it in your bum

Perhaps ask your wife hide it for you? Or if she takes offense at the request she could help you with T’s suggestion.

[matt.wu]

Well now it's on the internet, so you better pay the taxes...

[BacoNoir]

Last I looked into it, I thought duties were only about 3 %, no?

[toxicavenger]

#bumpacking

[jimyritz]

Never thought it was worth it....

[ericf4]

Last I looked into it, I thought duties were only about 3 %, no?

If so that's nothing

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[Joeprez]

A friend recently bought a watch on St. Maarten, he had the AD send the box via USPS to his house and wore the watch the rest of the trip without declaring it when he got back to US soil.

Exactly this. That is what I would do.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I was going to suggest this too, but assumed you'd need to fill in a customs declaration for the box when shipping it. So how would you describe the shipment, "empty watch box"? Probably not the best idea. Anything else would be a lie on the declaration.

Frankly I'd just suck it up and pay the duties rather than risk a major fine. I'm sure it wouldn't be more than a couple hundred bucks.

leather strap with box?

(take an extra strap with you).

[unsub073]

When I was just in Switzerland, and bought the Rolex. I declared mine in NY, and I believe I paid around $350 there. It was fun to get stuck in the customs lounge watching other's people luggage get ram-sacked when they were trying to bring things in they weren't supposed to.

[JBZ]

Well now it's on the internet, so you better pay the taxes...

The box thing was fool proof! How did they catch me?!

[ericf4]

Moot point. Went to 3 places and all we're 2-3k MORE than Ross the US AD. Total joke.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk