Rolex - Singapore or Heathrow

[phumy]

Vipers said:

phumy said:

Perhaps i should have said: I normally buy myself a good new watch every year, because i can, however i didnt want to come across in the wrong manner

I guessed that, but couldn't resist.....

Two hat

[Miguel Alvarez]

For the guys who ''forget'' to declare your purchases when coming home. Do you all post your boxes and papers home? Where I'm going they have authorised swiss watch dealers. I was thinking of keeping the papers and sending the box home but was wondering if anyone has ever had any questions from customs as to why they'd want an empty Rolex box from a country they just visited?

And the ones who've been caught did they look at your wrist and ask questions or did you have the box in your bag and that raised the question?

[jshell]

dmw1982 said:

Hi...anyone know the answer to this.

I want to buy a rolex submariner at heathrow duty free, and wondered whether I could get away with the following...

Buy a one way cheap air ticket to an EU country
Check in and get air side to collect / buy watch
Miss flight
Exit Terminal
Go Home

...is this legal / possible??

Views much appreciated

Thanks.

Buy a refundable business class ticket to somewhere outside of the UK and it may well work. It was a big scam in Norway when booze was taxed out of the park - they'd buy tickets, check-in, buy booze, walk out of terminal and re-claim flight costs. The Norskies clamped down on it, so the UK may have something in place to prevent it.

There were 2 Rolex SDDS at Term 5 last week for £5k, down from £5,880.

[Jules360]

I'd be surprised if an airline would refund your ticket once you have checked in

[jshell]

Jules360 said:

I'd be surprised if an airline would refund your ticket once you have checked in

Business class are fully refundable regardless of when you decide not to fly! That's why they cost 000's. Some feckers do it after their bags are on - hacks me righ off as they have to be unloaded! I fly a lot.

[Jules360]

jshell said:

Jules360 said:

I'd be surprised if an airline would refund your ticket once you have checked in

Business class are fully refundable regardless of when you decide not to fly! That's why they cost 000's. Some feckers do it after their bags are on - hacks me righ off as they have to be unloaded! I fly a lot.

Well i was on a flight back from Dubai last year that they cancelled once we were all on board. I ended up flying with another airline the next day, my airline didn't want to refund my ticket as "i had checked in" and only did so as a "favour" when i complained a lot. I was travelling business class.

Edited by Jules360 on Thursday 18th March 14:55

[sneijder]

dmw1982 said 'cheap one way ticket', as in the ticket price is an expense.

I work at Olso airport and the selection is pitiful, Omega boggos are order of the day, and they never have Speedmasters in. They have a Vancouver Seamaster in now, after the games have finished. Not cheap either.

Don't know what Zurich airport sales are like, but Swiss are dirt cheap if you buy last minute at the airport on a slow day. We had a chap fly council spec OSL-ZRH-JFK return for 350 quid the other day.

[jshell]

Jules360 said:

jshell said:

Jules360 said:

I'd be surprised if an airline would refund your ticket once you have checked in

Business class are fully refundable regardless of when you decide not to fly! That's why they cost 000's. Some feckers do it after their bags are on - hacks me righ off as they have to be unloaded! I fly a lot.

Well i was on a flight back from Dubai last year that they cancelled once we were all on board. I ended up flying with another airline the next day, my airline didn't want to refund my ticket as "i had checked in" and only did so as a "favour" when i complained a lot. I was travelling business class.

Edited by Jules360 on Thursday 18th March 14:55

Not being funny, but there a more than one class of business class! One's a 'J' and can't remember the other one. The 'better' one is wholly refundable at any point. We complained as our company started putting us on 'cheap' business class which stopped us getting the Virgin chaufeur(spell?) driven car at the airport to home address...

[dmw1982]

I believe Duty Free does apply to countries in the EU. You would definately save VAT.

I also know that you CAN order ahead at mappin and webb provding you pay 30% ish deposit.

My only hurdle is whether I can exit the terminal....doesn't seem much difference to fly out and then come straight back does there??

[andy_s]

I thought once airside you were effectively in a free trade zone, Currys letting you buy goods with VAT taken off on a domestic flight seems to support this but I'm sure it's probably more complicated!

[dmw1982]

that makes things even more interesting Andy.

Never bought anything when on a domestic flight so can't comment...do they not ask for boarding card to determine what you pay?

Surely there must be a duty / tax free guru somewhere out there??????

[jshell]

andy_s said:

I thought once airside you were effectively in a free trade zone, Currys letting you buy goods with VAT taken off on a domestic flight seems to support this but I'm sure it's probably more complicated!

Try buying booze or fags on a domestic boarding card. You can't! I think you can buy 'VAT free' goods though, as the taxation rules are different for 'VAT-free' and 'Duty Free'... Perhaps I'm talking shyte but I'll ask as my next flight back to the UK is in a couple of weeks.

[Vipers]

dmw1982 said:

I believe Duty Free does apply to countries in the EU.

Duty free doesn't apply in the EU, if you ever fly out of UK, there are two prices shown on duty free items, one for destination within the EU, others out with the EU.

Might be VAT free I don't know, but definately not duty free in the EU.

Unless someone knows something I don't, which is very likely.

[lime1]

aeropilot said:

dmw1982 said:

Hi...anyone know the answer to this.

I want to buy a rolex submariner at heathrow duty free, and wondered whether I could get away with the following...

Buy a one way cheap air ticket to an EU country
Check in and get air side to collect / buy watch
Miss flight
Exit Terminal
Go Home

...is this legal / possible??

For a start duty free is only for flights to non-EU countries.

As mentioned in an earlier post, you would have to know that Mappin & Webb would have a Sub in stock, and there's no guarrantee they will, unless you can pre-order with them for collection at LHR?

Not sure if there's not a back check as to whether a flight was boarded or not, because you have to present your boarding card at purchase and that boarding card wouldn't get 'tagged' at the gate. You'd have to explain why you'd missed the flight when trying to exit through customs, so there could be a duty-free check then....?

Edited by aeropilot on Wednesday 17th March 22:14

I pre-ordered an Omega Seamaster from Mappin and Webb at T5 Heathrow last year (no deposit required). Was on a domestic day return trip to London for a meeting. Just confirmed with them what day I'd be there and approx time. Got it at duty free price too (there was only one ticket price). They needed a few days notice to get the watch across from one of their London stores.

Edited by lime1 on Friday 19th March 21:33

[jshell]

lime1 said:

aeropilot said:

dmw1982 said:

Hi...anyone know the answer to this.

I want to buy a rolex submariner at heathrow duty free, and wondered whether I could get away with the following...

Buy a one way cheap air ticket to an EU country
Check in and get air side to collect / buy watch
Miss flight
Exit Terminal
Go Home

...is this legal / possible??

For a start duty free is only for flights to non-EU countries.

As mentioned in an earlier post, you would have to know that Mappin & Webb would have a Sub in stock, and there's no guarrantee they will, unless you can pre-order with them for collection at LHR?

Not sure if there's not a back check as to whether a flight was boarded or not, because you have to present your boarding card at purchase and that boarding card wouldn't get 'tagged' at the gate. You'd have to explain why you'd missed the flight when trying to exit through customs, so there could be a duty-free check then....?

Edited by aeropilot on Wednesday 17th March 22:14

I pre-ordered an Omega Seamaster from Mappin and Webb at T5 Heathrow last year (no deposit required). Was on a domestic day return trip to London for a meeting. Just confirmed with them what day I'd be there and approx time. Got it at duty free price too (there was only one ticket price). They needed a few days notice to get the watch across from one of their London stores.

Edited by lime1 on Friday 19th March 21:33

They're simply giving a 17.5% discount on sticker price and calling it Duty Free. You'd probably have got the same deal in a High St store for asking - I know I have in the past. I was offered a new Pro-Plof for 20% discount the other week. Mesh strap too. Wife gave the

[sneijder]

jshell said:

They're simply giving a 17.5% discount on sticker price and calling it Duty Free. You'd probably have got the same deal in a High St store for asking - I know I have in the past. I was offered a new Pro-Plof for 20% discount the other week. Mesh strap too. Wife gave the

This.

I think the real trick is buying on the high street and swindling the Tax Return / Global Refund thingies. They're in it to make money so it can't be too hard.