1st Patek Purchase - Duty to USA HELP

[Tay821]

I've been working with an AD in the EU on purchasing my first Patek and am trying to figure out what the duty would be when sending to the US where I reside. I've read conflicting percentages on different threads in this forum and want to be sure because the difference could be in the thousands.

I've used the duty import calculator online that Pitney Bowes has and have come up with two different numbers between the AD and I. The calculator is confusing if you're unfamiliar. His number is quite different from mine and it almost makes the purchase not worth it, however, the number I used makes it worthwhile with the FX and VAT back.

Does anyone have any experience in shipping a watch to the US? Any advice is appreciated.

[Russell996]

Can't help on Duty I'm afraid but depending on the piece be very careful if it has an alligator/croc strap as it will need a CITES certificate.

[Tay821]

Originally Posted by Russell996

Can't help on Duty I'm afraid but depending on the piece be very careful if it has an alligator/croc strap as it will need a CITES certificate.

Good call. Thanks. I've researched that and no gator/croc. It's SS

[Widyhs]

Might be cheaper to fly out and pick it up, collect EU tax refund, and ship back just the box to yourself.

[Tay821]

Originally Posted by Widyhs

Might be cheaper to fly out and pick it up, collect EU tax refund, and ship back just the box to yourself.

I considered this. It's a 23% refund vs a 17% refund if I go there and pick it up. Though I wouldn't mind visiting over there for a long weekend. Flight, hotel and incidentals make it more costly than buying here. Esp if the wife comes and wants to shop

[KarlS]

Originally Posted by Tay821

I considered this. It's a 23% refund vs a 17% refund if I go there and pick it up. Though I wouldn't mind visiting over there for a long weekend. Flight, hotel and incidentals make it more costly than buying here. Esp if the wife comes and wants to shop

Well at 23% that's only Ireland, Portugal or Poland. If the watch is easily available in USA that's always preferable as there are many unknowns. If it's something you can't get in USA well then it's purely academic.

[Tay821]

I can get it (aqua) in the US, however at little to no discount. If I do the math right it come to a 20-25% savings

[rollyp]

Hi, for non precious metal pieces it should be a little more than 4%.

What did you and your AD come up with?

[psv]

Can you really do tax free without buying in person? I thought you would have to get the custom office stamp at the airport in order to get tax free.

[KarlS]

Originally Posted by psv

Can you really do tax free without buying in person? I thought you would have to get the custom office stamp at the airport in order to get tax free.

If the dealer ships he does so net of VAT and uses the Courier export papers as proof of export.

[Tay821]

Originally Posted by rollyp

Hi, for non precious metal pieces it should be a little more than 4%.

What did you and your AD come up with?

Thanks I wasn't sure how to read this. Do I combine each column?

I came up with about $700 but the AD came up with about $1700, which is what prompted my question

[Russell996]

Originally Posted by Tay821

Good call. Thanks. I've researched that and no gator/croc. It's SS

No worries in that respect then.

[psv]

Originally Posted by KarlS

If the dealer ships he does so net of VAT and uses the Courier export papers as proof of export.

I don't think it works that way, why would any of us buy a watch in the US then? Just have European ADs ship whatever watches to us.

I'll talk to a European AD friend and confirm.

[archer75]

Originally Posted by Tay821

I considered this. It's a 23% refund vs a 17% refund if I go there and pick it up. Though I wouldn't mind visiting over there for a long weekend. Flight, hotel and incidentals make it more costly than buying here. Esp if the wife comes and wants to shop

You can claim full amount even if you go and collect yourself however you need to pay VAT in full first. You need to get invoice stamped by customs and then you need to mail this back to the AD. Once AD receives it they return VAT you paid. Some of the AD's can take VAT amount as deposit from your credit card and releases it back when they receive the stamped invoice so in essence you do not pay VAT.