Help! Gen import taxation

[ammandel]

Hey guys,

I need your help as I'm buying my first gen (pre-owned). It looks like I could get some pretty good deals online by buying on TZ or Watchnet. The problem is the majority of the sellers are based in the US and quite simply.. I don't want to pay an excessive import tax!

Anyone from the UK purchased from TZ or watchnet? How did you approach the costs and security/insurance issues?

Alternatively does anyone from the EU or anything have any information or help you can give me? I'm at the point where I'm thinking I'll perhaps have to buy just within the UK!

[b16a2]

I almost bought a 3714 from the USA, but unfortunately the seller didn't want to ship it with an extremely low value to avoid the tax. There isn't really any other way around it, and I don't know where you'd stand if they did a spot check on it either!

If you do buy a watch for say $1000, it will be liable for VAT + 4.5% duty.

[JHM]

Maybe ask the seller to sent is as a repaired watch? Hope that helps.

[jockl1978]

Maybe ask the seller to sent is as a repaired watch? Hope that helps.

It works as long as you are able to provide the original purchase bill to prove that you bought it inside your country when customs intercepts it. They won

[ammandel]

Iron balls and $3k to lose? I'm really at a loss with how to deal with this.. to be honest. Surely people must be making gen transactions US/UK without paying 15/17.5%. + 4.5% on top !!

Anyone else have any input?

[Member X]

Do you know anyone travelling to the US in the near future? If you could arrange an insured transfer to an address that your friend is staying at, it could come back on their wrist...

Edited April 23, 2009 by Member X