Shipping watch back to china for repair?

[jj69]

What is the common wisdom on the best method to ship a watch back to China for repair? I had a watch with an ETA movement stop dead after wearing it for just 8 days.

The dealer says to send it back and he'll replace the movement. I was planning to ship back only the watch head (no bracelet) in one of those flat-rate USPS Global Priority Mail envelopes (costs about $5 US). I've used this shipping method dozens of times before (admittedly not for a watch and never to China). It takes about 5-8 days to reach most countries and has so far been 100% reliable for me.

I was going to write "Broken watch for repair" on the customs form, with a value of $20.

Is this the best way to go about this?

[Pugwash]

I was going to write "Broken watch for repair" on the customs form, with a value of $20.

Is this the best way to go about this?

Isn't there a legal issue sending watches (gens and reps) to China from the US?

[Stephane]

Mine were send by simple registered mail and arrived safely after 15 days.

Of course I am in Europe.

Now, I must say that when they came back, with EMS, they were seized by customs.

Sorry to say.

Cheers

Stephane

[jj69]

Isn't there a legal issue sending watches (gens and reps) to China from the US?

Why would there be a legal issue sending a gen (or even a rep) watch to China from the US???

[Logan]

Don't risk it unless you have no other option. Its better to get it fixed locally even if it costs you a little. You run a huge risk of loosing the watch sending it back. Its no co-incidence that many of the dealer disputes around here stem from watches sent back for repair that never arrive.

Remeber the dealers here will mostly have an "understanding" with their local post office and customs to ensure the watches they send out are not confiscated or stolen. You don't get the same protection sending it back the other direction.

[jj69]

Don't risk it unless you have no other option. Its better to get it fixed locally even if it costs you a little. You run a huge risk of loosing the watch sending it back. Its no co-incidence that many of the dealer disputes around here stem from watches sent back for repair that never arrive.

Remeber the dealers here will mostly have an "understanding" with their local post office and customs to ensure the watches they send out are not confiscated or stolen. You don't get the same protection sending it back the other direction.

Are you serious? Do packages shipped to China get stolen/confiscated that often? I'm shipping from the US to China. I thought the USPS required foreign post offices to take precautions with Priority Mail packages. If they don't comply, the USPS refuses to ship Priority to any of those countries. Has anyone had a Priority package to China go missing?

[Corgi]

I sent my watch back to China a month and half ago... nothing yet, though Joshua was kind enough to give me the benefit of the doubt eventually. He's a super guy.