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Old 31 March 2017, 05:27 AM   #31
blue16613
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US customs charge a tariff (I think it is 6%) of anything purchased abroad that is more than $800. However, many people wear high end watches when traveling and unless you are dressed like a bum...you should not cause much suspicion. Even if they find the box I can always say I like to bring it on my trip. For the record the warranty card and receipt I keep in my wallet. Not on the box.
A few years ago I want to another brand's "Owners Group" event abroad. Naturally, we all wore our new or relatively new timepieces from that brand. Before we traveled we were warned by the brand that we should bring xerox copies of our dated sales receipts, etc just in case we were questioned by US Customs upon return. I thought it was unnecessary, but did it. Wouldn't you know, I did get questioned by Customs. Wow, was I ever glad I did as our hosts suggested. The Customs agent simply looked at the receipt, smiled and said thank you. Now, I do it routinely...I make a copy of the dated sales receipt for any watch that I bring along with me.

Live and learn.............
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Old 31 March 2017, 06:02 AM   #32
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I always declare when I purchase abroad. Although the exact amount can be arbitrary, 2-3% is a pretty safe bet on the amount in excess of your family's duty free allowance and are occasionally waved through without paying anything if they're busy. You do not pay FL sales tax as someone else posted.

If your bag randomly got checked, it would be awfully hard to explain why you took your watch's box, manuals, and warranty card on vacation with you! I believe the penalty can be several multiples of the proper amount of duty and even confiscation at worst. Not to mention a red flag at future entries and illegible for global entry.
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Old 31 March 2017, 06:27 AM   #33
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Loos great on you. Enjoy!
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Old 31 March 2017, 07:18 AM   #34
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Looks brilliant in blue very nice and its a photogenic watch.
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Old 31 March 2017, 09:33 AM   #35
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Congrats great deal!
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Old 31 March 2017, 10:48 AM   #36
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They do go through your wallet, had that happen to me, they looked at every receipt in my wallet, I was pulled into a side room coming back from Central America.
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Old 31 March 2017, 12:47 PM   #37
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Gorgeous watches enjoy. Very nice deal as well.
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Old 31 March 2017, 01:04 PM   #38
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HERE IS THE REAL:
if you get caught you have to pay the sales tax equal to your state's % and a super small penalty/administration fee.

and how do you get caught? prove you paid taxes on that watch. you cant? no worries, we got an answer lol.
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Old 31 March 2017, 01:18 PM   #39
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His gamble paid off, however with the picture he posted customs now knows where he lives.
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Old 31 March 2017, 02:42 PM   #40
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how do u get 17.7% back vat? thought global blue and the sort you end up with 12%
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Old 31 March 2017, 03:59 PM   #41
maximus1
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Congrats on the beautiful watch.
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Old 31 March 2017, 04:19 PM   #42
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Wow great deal.
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Old 31 March 2017, 04:54 PM   #43
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congrats
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Old 31 March 2017, 05:10 PM   #44
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Congrats.
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Old 31 March 2017, 08:50 PM   #45
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how do u get 17.7% back vat? thought global blue and the sort you end up with 12%
In Barcelona Vat was I believe 21%. Global Blue will give back 17.7 and keep rest if you opt the 4 weeks credit card reimburse option. If you want instant cash back you only get around 15% back.
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Old 31 March 2017, 08:52 PM   #46
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Nice piece, congrats!
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Old 31 March 2017, 09:32 PM   #47
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Hypothetically, if Customs just happened to stumble across the box & papers as your passed through and called you out on your failure to declare the purchase, what would be the penalty and/or cost?
I asked this of a customs agent when I was paying the duty on a Breitling from The Bahamas. Natch this was (way) before 9/11, so things may have changed.

He said that if they caught you, you'd pay double the duty, and they'd flag you so that any time afterwards that you entered the country, you would be thoroughly screened. He said that with a gleam in his eye that made me think of never lying to customs in any country.

As for the OP's great deal (congrats on a beautiful watch) I wonder how much of this great deal was due to the exchange rate and how much was due to being in Spain, where the economy is in the toilet?
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Old 31 March 2017, 09:43 PM   #48
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Old 31 March 2017, 10:33 PM   #49
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Brandon - i'm heading to Barcelona in October, i might just have to follow your lead, thanks for the post!
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Old 31 March 2017, 10:51 PM   #50
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I have always wondered if Customs in the USA will know you are bringing back any goods in which you filed for VAT exemption as they take your passport number and put it on the refund request form.

You would think that once that is punched in the computer in Europe that US customs would have the info pop up on their screen when they swiped your passport upon reentry into the USA.
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Old 31 March 2017, 11:03 PM   #51
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Great deal. I'd be all over that piece, especially at that price. Enjoy it in good health.
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Old 1 April 2017, 01:36 AM   #52
RaceDoc
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Does anyone know what is the fee?
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Isn't the custom's fee fairly small?
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Old 7 April 2017, 10:57 PM   #53
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Brandon - i'm heading to Barcelona in October, i might just have to follow your lead, thanks for the post!
Same here. What was model availability like? Obviously it will be different in ~6 months but exchange rates and VAT refund of 17.7% make this potentially very appealing (even with customs).
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Old 7 April 2017, 11:06 PM   #54
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Does anyone know what is the fee?
So it seems like it's 6% plus a $2.19 per watch admin fee. This is according to:

https://www.dutycalculator.com/hs-co....99.0000/1169/

Your state sales tax is also due.

Seems like this may fall apart at the import level if you're planning to fully declare.
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Old 8 April 2017, 12:28 AM   #55
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You can avoid UK tax legally fairly easily. Excluding rolex/tudor you can buy at the airport and still get "airport pricing" close to 20% off withOUT leaving the EU so there is nothing to declare and no customs issues as you never left the customs union. Harrods for instance will even transfer any watch from their main store to the airport so you can just pick it up, fly 30 minutes to brussels and fly back 30 minutes later. easy.
Yes, Rolex used to discount watches to the 'duty free' price if you were staying in the EU, but don't now. Not sure about other stuff though.
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Old 8 April 2017, 01:48 AM   #56
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If you didn't want to pack the box...you could just Fed-Ex it separately..
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Old 10 April 2017, 09:57 PM   #57
RaceDoc
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After doing some research I came across multiple threads which indicated that the fees are 3% after subtracting the $800 exemption.
/www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=441526
Quote:
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So it seems like it's 6% plus a $2.19 per watch admin fee. This is according to:

https://www.dutycalculator.com/hs-co....99.0000/1169/

Your state sales tax is also due.

Seems like this may fall apart at the import level if you're planning to fully declare.
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Old 10 April 2017, 10:15 PM   #58
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If you really want a avoid customs taxes in the USA never forget that unmounted gem stones enter the country tax free. My dad's firm does business with Debeers in S. Africa. My mom wanted a really nice diamond ring when they were there for a meeting. I reminded her of the rules about importing unmounted stones. She bought an extremely expensive fancy diamond and brought it back to the states. They declared the stone at customs, the agent inspected it and waved them through. If they had put it in a ring there would have been duty due.
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