hello to all!
my name's angelo and i'm living in spain and i'm new on this forum.
first of all, i want to ask you sorry for my bad english.
i was born and living for over 30 years in zürich/switzerland (before i moved to spain on 2004), so perhaps i can tell you some usefull infos about the swiss customs.
1999i ordered two mechanical chronographs from cubic works in hong kong (chronomat watches).
this watches are looking similar to rolex daytonas.
some weeks later i got a call from the swiss customservice in basel, acusing me about importing counterfeit watches.
they told me that i would never receive this watches.
first i was surprised, because i had no idea about the "watch-rules" on switzerland.
i explaindet them, that this watches are no replicas...but some days later they send me an investigation raport (12 pages documentation with high resolution pictures of the watches, dials, bracelets and movements).
i was acused to import watches illegal dial engravings (chronomat is trademark of breitling), watches with illegal case design (copyright of rolex) and:illegal import of raw materials!!!
yeahh...the swiss watch lobby does controll the full watch import in switzerland.after some hours of telefonical disputes i given up my two watches (60$ are this troubels not worth).
one year later i talked with a friend of my brother (he works for the customs) and he told me, that rolex, breitling, fortis and omega have theyr own experts working for the customs.
there is a special unit for this controlls called (rohstoff und edelmetall behörde)...they will stop any imports of any watches looking similar to swiss watches.
the best you can dois: accept the "destruction" of your watches when you receive a letter from them...otherwise they will cause you many troubles.
and you can be sure...in future all your packages will be controlled.
warm regards
angelo