runne Posted October 5, 2007 Report Share Posted October 5, 2007 I read about at guy getting fined 50k dollars for wearing a rep through customs. He also had some reps in his bags ( gifts for his kids or something). Would you guys recomend being careful with wearing reps at airports? Is it safe in a bag? What if you are searched etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victoria Posted October 5, 2007 Report Share Posted October 5, 2007 I read about at guy getting fined 50k dollars for wearing a rep through customs. He also had some reps in his bags ( gifts for his kids or something). Would you guys recomend being careful with wearing reps at airports? Is it safe in a bag? What if you are searched etc? I've heard of these kinds of stories for a while. Like the little kid who went to Italy on a school trip with his classmates, and someone ratted him out as wearing a fake watch (was it a Rolex? That's crazy on a 10 year-old). It was confiscated, and there were legal problems, OR SO I HEARD. I think Sssurfer clarified that such things are either urban legends in Italy, or on the rare occasion that the Italians wish to make someone an "example" it for sure wouldn't be a child...but either way, it's not common. My father has his barber at MIA. We go there every fortnight, the whole family (what can I say, I was almost born in an airport, and I love the atmosphere even if I don't travel as much). I have worn my Panerai with no problems whatsoever. I wouldn't hesitate to go with them to Da Vinci Airport itself. Obviously, I wouldn't be so stupid as to take a boatload of reps in a handbag, in case I am searched by Customs, but then, it seems like your example was a dealer or an avid collector. I've already told this story before, but once during a South American trip around the capital cities, my mother and I were stopped by Customs and were about to lose our watches due to "duties" (they just wanted a bribe). Finally, by the time we got to Argentina, we bought a sales pad and written out sales bills for our watches. They were old fashioned looking salespads, so we put the date as 1976. I then crumpled them, spilled water and coffee, thus aging them, just to give a right effect. No duties. No hassle. No bribes. Didn't work in Portugal, BTW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyster Posted October 5, 2007 Report Share Posted October 5, 2007 My sphincter would be twitching if I was walking through with a bag full of reps but I would not give a second thought to wearing a decent one in an airport or through customs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted October 5, 2007 Report Share Posted October 5, 2007 I agree with Hyster. If you are dumb enough to carry a bag of illegal contraband (reps) through an airport, you deserve to suffer the consequences. And, for the record, that story about the fellow who got caught with the bag of reps is not an urban legend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baltic Posted October 5, 2007 Report Share Posted October 5, 2007 I've flown to a lot countrys EU, N America, Far East wearing a rep with no problems. Only had one and wore it through security, only asked to take it off to go through x-ray in Australia and Hong Kong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brep Posted October 5, 2007 Report Share Posted October 5, 2007 I travel a lot - no one has ever looked twice, other than to say, "nice watch". -B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertk Posted October 5, 2007 Report Share Posted October 5, 2007 Another job for the security people at airports.....Look for rep watches,LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchmeister Posted October 5, 2007 Report Share Posted October 5, 2007 4 Continents, 20 or so countries - never any problem on the wrist. I do carry two watches in a nice case on longer trips and the only comments were "nice watches". This includes all the "urban legend" countries. Then again, if you are 10 years old or look like a drug smuggler... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hambone Posted October 5, 2007 Report Share Posted October 5, 2007 There are countless instances of rep watches being sucked into the turbines of jet engines at the airport. This is the main hazard when it comes to reps at the airport. Be careful out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magagne Posted October 5, 2007 Report Share Posted October 5, 2007 Well, that is a good question. About a bag of full rep, I think everybody will agree that is runnning to problems. But just wearing a fake watch, the worst case I can see it's just confiscate it. And another rule is, if they begin to do that for watch, they'll need to do it with for fake GUCCI women shoes, fake LV wallet, etc. really, I think the first rule is security, not just wearing a fake watch on your wrist. Just my two cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted October 5, 2007 Report Share Posted October 5, 2007 The original post referenced the (true) story about a man who was fined a large amount because he was caught bringing a bag of "obviously cheap and fake looking" counterfeit Rolexes into the US (he was fined for the total retail value of the gen counterparts of the 'fakes' he was smuggling), supposedly for his kids or relatives. I have never heard of anyone being stopped or questioned because they were wearing a reasonable-looking rep watch. As far as carrying a couple 'extras' in your baggage, I think that depends on how they are carried and whether you look like a person of means on a business trip or a tourist who looks like he/she is trying to smuggle a bag of "obviously cheap and fake looking" counterfeit watches into the country. Use your head and you should not have a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sylar Posted October 5, 2007 Report Share Posted October 5, 2007 Ive worm my reps with a few in my carry on as well thorugh several airports and secutiry and one one has ever said a thing. Gouing through Puerto Rico once the guys at security opened up my laptop bag as I had 6 watches in a case and they asked about them. I said they were watches of mine. Asked if I bouht them on my trip and I said no. I had them in a nice case well secured so they did not think much of it after they questioned me and I went my merry way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrgod Posted October 5, 2007 Report Share Posted October 5, 2007 I've heard of these kinds of stories for a while. Like the little kid who went to Italy on a school trip with his classmates, and someone ratted him out as wearing a fake watch (was it a Rolex? That's crazy on a 10 year-old). It was confiscated, and there were legal problems, OR SO I HEARD. The story with the boy who got 1000 Euro fine on his school got some press here in Norway last year... I posted it in this thread. Don't know if the boy parents managed to get the money back. The article tells that one of his friends managed to conceal his own fake Rollie by hiding it in his underpants! Inside in the newspaper, there is a pic of a genuine Yacht-Master and the posters in Firenze, warning against purchasing fakes.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victoria Posted October 5, 2007 Report Share Posted October 5, 2007 The story with the boy who got 1000 Euro fine on his school got some press here in Norway last year... I posted it in this thread. Don't know if the boy parents managed to get the money back. Gosh, thanks for that update Chrgod! Extract from the earlier post: "A 12 years old boy on journey in Italy with his class, buys a Rolex replica in Firenze and is nicked by the police during a razzia on the market. He and one of his friends are arrested by the police and only released from custody when the teacher agrees to sign that they accept a fine of 1000 Euro each.. blink.gif : The story goes that the boy did not have a watch, but had borrowed his fathers Swatch.. When they arrived in Firenze he saw lot of nice watches on the market at St. Lorenzo plaza, and bought the Rollie for 18 Euro.." Wow, 18 Euro. Jay ripped me off. Ah well, this story is a little different than what I thought. It's more plausible that such a thing would happen, than someone just spotting a fake Rolex on someone's wrist and ratting them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted October 5, 2007 Report Share Posted October 5, 2007 In all fairness, I think as long as someone's sensible, then there's not going to be a problem. In all honesty, how many watches does someone have to take for a trip? I figure three or four is about the most. 1. Beater. 2. Business 'compatible' watch (if on a business trip) (ie something that will look believable on the wrist in a business environment) 3. Dress watch (if evening meals/opera trips are a possibility) 4. Back up beater (just in case the regular beater dies) As long as they're all suitably stored in the luggage, I doubt a customs official would have cause for complaint, and, if someone was wearing a PAM, they could just have different straps/bracelet to accomodate the different environments the watch would likely be worn in. To clarify on the context of the two cases, the guy had quite a few Rollies with him, supposedly for family and friends, but, possibly not, but, either way, carrying that many watches, rather than posting some home, was probably not the smartest of moves, so it's not too surprizing that customs came down on him heavily. The second case, was where the boy's class trip was caught up in the middle of a police raid on a notorious (to locals) market. It wasn't as if he got stopped at customs or had his baggage searched, he was was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Doesn't make it any better for him, and, from what I understand, mere posession of a rep is illegal in Italy, but, the context does make all the difference, in that these really weren't just random cases of someone waiting in line getting hauled in by customs because they were wearing a rep, but specific circumstances which were reasonable investigations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dluddy Posted October 5, 2007 Report Share Posted October 5, 2007 I flew a few 100K last year and always bring my 4-pack River case and have never had customs or TSA ask... Unless you have multiple of the same watch in your luggage I think you are OK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugwash Posted October 5, 2007 Report Share Posted October 5, 2007 Firstly, it depends which airport. Secondly, it depends on how many and of what. If you're flying into Italy or France with half a dozen Subs, still in plastic, you're humped. If you're flying into Dublin or Glasgow (a flight I make often) with a Super-rep on your wrist and two more in a River two-watch case, you're fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victoria Posted October 5, 2007 Report Share Posted October 5, 2007 Glasgow (a flight I make often) I literally could've walked into the airport at Glasgow with a pound of cocaine in my suitcase, without one Customs officer in sight. Is there anyone there? Ever? Wow. Based on my experiences, I told a Cuban-American friend to take a Colombian lady who lived there, and pined for her homeland's cuisine, a suitcase FULL of special flour/harina to make Arepas. We packed it to the rafters, and he said, are you sure I won't have problems with Customs? I'm sure, I said. He walked right in, not even showing his passport. Oh, and in the second suitcase he took her a few cans of frijoles negros/black beans. She was so grateful, she paid for his ticket...I should start an Arepa-to-Glasgow sideline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugwash Posted October 5, 2007 Report Share Posted October 5, 2007 I literally could've walked into the airport at Glasgow with a pound of cocaine in my suitcase, without one Customs officer in sight. Is there anyone there? Ever? Wow. It's scanned out-of-sight before departure and after landing before baggage reclaim for the usual explosives and drugs. You have to look pretty shady to get caught with anything mild, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted October 5, 2007 Report Share Posted October 5, 2007 Whats a "river case"??? Ive heard this a few times here now Lonnie Firstly, it depends which airport. Secondly, it depends on how many and of what. If you're flying into Italy or France with half a dozen Subs, still in plastic, you're humped. If you're flying into Dublin or Glasgow (a flight I make often) with a Super-rep on your wrist and two more in a River two-watch case, you're fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Manny Posted October 6, 2007 Report Share Posted October 6, 2007 I have taken multiple watches on quite a few international flights without issue. With the exception of Canada! What is it about Canadian Customs? I always take a paper with the watch models and serial numbers printed on it and have customs stamp it on the way in so that I don't have to worry about the trip back. Nobody ever cares about it other than Canada. They almost always give me [censored] until I whip out the paper with their own stamp on it and they frown and point their boney finger in the direction of freedom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viennawatch Posted October 6, 2007 Report Share Posted October 6, 2007 Have traveled numerous times with fakes to different countries. In fact one customs official even made a nice comment about my watch onces, but thats all... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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