Custom's and an American purchased watch question

[Miguel Alvarez]

If I was to buy a pre owned watch costing say £800 how much would customs (and anyone else who sees me as an ATM) charge me for this? I want to try and work into the costs what this potentially very nice bad boy will cost me.

[Adrian W]

20% of the declared value plus a handling charge of about eight quid,

[Miguel Alvarez]

Ouch.

[Maxf]

Adrian W said:

20% of the declared value plus a handling charge of about eight quid,

more isnt it?

Duty + VAT (both on the value of the watch AND the postage cost), plus a handling charge - £8-12 depending on the service.

I generally budgeted around 22% which is was about right when VAT was 17.5% (not on watches, but antiques/collectables).

[Miguel Alvarez]

I need to do some more research on this watch then and see if it is a good price now.

[GCH]

Either way you take a hit....

-Buy it over there and wear it back, you still have to pay local state sales tax

-Buy it mail order and get it shipped, you get stuffed for import duty (10%) + vat (20% of the new total INCLUDING the shipping cost) + the couriers mishandling fee (£varies) ,unless you are very lucky and it slips through.

-Try to avoid import duty payments by declaring lower value, and if it gets damaged or goes missing, you are stuffed, plus its not exactly legal either..

Either way, someone wants their cut

[Pesty]

Isnt that the watch that is being returned after a warrenty repair?

not sure it would work but worth a try if seller is game.

[tubbystu]

Or perhaps if the $800 value is somewhat carelessly entered onto the US postal declaration docket across the line seperating the dollars and the cents so it reads as $8 00. No dots or anything else so it is not a false declaration, just poor handwriting and entry..........

In conjunction with the above, if the contents are also listed as a "horological item for spares" it has worked for me in the past

[Miguel Alvarez]

Thinking about this some more. Where do I stand with a "friend" in the states buying the watch and sending that to me as a gift insured to the paid amount?

More thoughts (I don't have a problem I can quit anytime lol) is the missus is going to a family link up of sorts soon. I could order it get it sent to her aunt's house and get her to bring it back to me. Although for the grief I'd get for buying another watch I may just try my luck with customs lol. It is our anniversary soon so I may try this angle.

Edited by Miguel Alvarez on Thursday 14th April 14:51

[Pesty]

still have to pay import tax on gifts.

Its an often repeated myth that you dont pay it on gifts,it only saves few pounds as it raises the tax point from 17 to 21 or something like that.

[LukeBird]

tubbystu said:

Or perhaps if the $800 value is somewhat carelessly entered onto the US postal declaration docket across the line seperating the dollars and the cents so it reads as $8 00. No dots or anything else so it is not a false declaration, just poor handwriting and entry..........

In conjunction with the above, if the contents are also listed as a "horological item for spares" it has worked for me in the past

Whilst I agree with you that it's a good way to get around it (my Submariner was valued at $15 or something on the declaration, I didn't ask the seller to do it) don't forget, you can't then insure the item up to it's value.
If you (or the seller) is happy with the risk, that's great but I wouldn't be happy with that on an expensive watch!

[davepoth]

Pick it up from New York, and wear it on your wrist on the way back. Think of it as a £50 weekend in the Big Apple...

[rog007]

I once read somewhere that someone had something or other stripped down to parts that had little individual intrinsic value and had it posted over a period of a year as 'no value bits'.

This story does not constitute formal, legally defensible advice on how to avoid being taken to the cleaners by all and sundry who want their piece of flesh just because you have taste and fancy buying a little trinket from the Motherland with your hard earned!

[andy_s]

Pesty said:

Isnt that the watch that is being returned after a warrenty repair?

not sure it would work but worth a try if seller is game.

They may asked for a letter when I did that, the seller provided one stating it was originally purchased in the uk and had been faulty so returned and repaired and was now being resent.
HMRC were happy with that.

[Miguel Alvarez]

Well the missus isn't liking the idea of me buying it and she bringing it back. I even offered to give her some spending money as a deal sweetner and she refused.

I'm definitely going to have to look and see if I can get it here and how much it is likely to cost me then decide from there.

Cheers for the advice guys.

[Maxf]

LukeBird said:

Whilst I agree with you that it's a good way to get around it (my Submariner was valued at $15 or something on the declaration, I didn't ask the seller to do it) don't forget, you can't then insure the item up to it's value.
If you (or the seller) is happy with the risk, that's great but I wouldn't be happy with that on an expensive watch!

You can still insure it - but you need to use a seperate insurer. You can't use the USPS insurance as this is linked to the declared amount.