Reps sold openly in St. Kitts

[Josetann]

Did some shopping in St. Kitts (lot of cruise ships stop there, which is how we got there). Saw two stores openly selling replicas. One even had a sign outside for Rolex look-a-likes (or something to that effect). I didn't look too long (shopping for a gen for my wife), but did ask how much a ladies datejust would run. Price was $90, and it was a true automatic (shook it and the second hand started sweeping). You could buy two and get the third free. Another store didn't have a sign outside, but they were displayed in the back next to the cash register (didn't inquire about price). Could get other brands too, I know I saw a quartz Rado model.

As far as customs goes, I remember reading a while back that you could bring a certain number back with no issues (it specifically addressed replicas). If anyone has current official info, that'd be great.

Would be interested to hear if anyone here has actually purchased one of these reps and how the quality was.

[panerai153]

I saw reps openly displayed on several islands in the Southern Caribbean, Antigua, St Lucia and Barbados for sure. Like you, I wasn't watch shopping, so couldn't say what the quality was. Probably aren't going to find the "Super reps" like you get from our dealers, but you never know.

If you are buying while on a cruise ship, I don't see a problem, unless you were bringing back 20 watches! More than likely, getting a few of them back wouldn't pose a problem, as every cruise we have been on, customs coming back has been pretty much a "wave through" situation. Lots of folks buy genuines down there and wear them back through customs, not that it would matter.I really believe that customs at least in San Juan PR and Galveston, TX where we have sailed from are more interested in countraband drugs, fruits and food products, etc. There were always a few USDA and DEA guys with dogs walking around the customs line.Snag a porter, give him your customs declaration, and baggage, he will get you through customs and outside the terminal in a flash.

Arthur

[lanikai]

We were generally taliking in the past about the mail orders "getting them" across borders.. red flags are raised when the same model appears in shipment.. dealers don't like to ship more than 2 at a time.. members have gotten letters after awhile when they have say over an extended period .. watches of the same model constantly arriving... inevitable, "luck" runs out and parcels will be opened.. it is up to the official.. some seize them some wait.. others pass them through.. it's a numbers game really.. somewhat of a gamble.. but once your flagged you are in their records... all it takes is that one time... and a conscientious agent... or over board retail sales like you had in New York a year or so ago..where they were, "raided".

IMO.. it depends upon the region your in.. Hawaii being an International Airport with a lot of strategic military facilities bordering the grounds of the airport, Customs here is very, very strict, genuine watches that are brought in as "gifts" get really scrutinized .. so imagine trying to bring in multiple reps.

Geographically..Texas and states around there are much easier to bring in anything from Cigars to watches..

OMO.. the safer way to being them back, would be to mail it to yourself.. and split them up .. making sure the "documentation" is proper.. ie. gift (use another name for sender).. value 30 usd.. and mail it to a mail center and not your home addy.

that is what I would do if the need arose.. but living in a State where Customs is strict dictates your course of action..

AC/Lani

[panerai153]

Lani,

I believe what josetann is referring to is physically bringing them back on a cruise ship. That's what I was referring to with bringing 20 watches in. Cruise customs are very lax as they are trying to process 3-5 thousand folks through in a matter of and hour or so. Got to get the disembarking passengers off as the embarking folks are already lining up to board.

I would never recommend bringing in any more than one, on your arm, through conventional customs like airports. I have seen folks on genuine forums say that there have been cases where customs has asked for documentation on watches that were in someones carry-on baggage. I would suspect that this is a case of someone traveling with half a dozen high end watches. In fact several years ago, when this came up,I was traveling to and from Europe fairly frequently, I got my local watch dealer to make up some invoices that showed serial numbers and date of purchase/price. Customs is only interested in making sure they collect duty on everything coming in to the USA. I never got stopped, but had I been searched, I had the documentation that these watches had traveled out of the country with me and were returning with me.

I totally agree with you about the packages with 2+ watches or several packages coming through in the same batch, etc. You don't want to do anything to raise those Red Flags. And like you and my wife, once your on the list, it takes a helluva long time to get off.She will get checked every time she goes through customs for a while, all because she brough a small package of pork into the USA, never knowing that all meat products that are not cooked and inside a sealed container are prohibited. Certainly not as costly as getting a watch or a primo box of Habanos confiscated, but it still got her on the list. It's a pain in the rear, because now she has to make certain she has 2 hours between flights in case she gets detained. Last October, she almost had to spend the night in NYC because she missed her connecting flight. Luckily she was able to get on another one 3 hours later, the last one out that night.

As you said before one overzealous agent can really create a long term problem for you.

Arthur

[lanikai]

Cruise ships definitely different from airport customs.. still I would mail them back to myself

[Josetann]

I saw reps openly displayed on several islands in the Southern Caribbean, Antigua, St Lucia and Barbados for sure. Like you, I wasn't watch shopping, so couldn't say what the quality was. Probably aren't going to find the "Super reps" like you get from our dealers, but you never know.

If you are buying while on a cruise ship, I don't see a problem, unless you were bringing back 20 watches! More than likely, getting a few of them back wouldn't pose a problem, as every cruise we have been on, customs coming back has been pretty much a "wave through" situation. Lots of folks buy genuines down there and wear them back through customs, not that it would matter.I really believe that customs at least in San Juan PR and Galveston, TX where we have sailed from are more interested in countraband drugs, fruits and food products, etc. There were always a few USDA and DEA guys with dogs walking around the customs line.Snag a porter, give him your customs declaration, and baggage, he will get you through customs and outside the terminal in a flash.

Arthur

Funny, I've been to all those places but didn't notice any reps for sale out in the open. Definitely no signs at the front of the store.

I do have to admit that my wife's the one that brought it to my attention. She told me where to go, what side of the street it was on, and that there was a sign saying they were selling replicas. She's been to the other islands too though, and hadn't seen them either. Just seemed odd to me to see them out in the open, so cheap, and not in China.

Have to agree on customs in port. Never seen anyone's luggage get inspected (though I'm sure it happens). I even declared some extra alcohol we were bringing back (2.75 liters over our allowance I think), just waved us on through.

[Rxus]

Speaking of customs my brother was in Costa Rica about 2 years ago and he had 4 bottles of Havana Club he purchased (not the bacardi crap, the real deal) turns out he was talking about it on the flight back to the states among friends who traveled with him...Well long story short, turns out someone on the plane snitched him out and every last bottle was seized over at MIA.

Good thing I was there last year and brought some back with any problems.