Any one bought here?

[cayman-black]

http://www.authenticwatches.com/.
States , is there any problems buying there? TIA.

[omegac]

Used them a few times when the exchange rate was a lot more favourable, one for an Omega Chronograph and once for a Breitling Ti bracelet. No issues at all, obviously just watch the extra you could end up paying in UK duty.

[cayman-black]

omegac said:

Used them a few times when the exchange rate was a lot more favourable, one for an Omega Chronograph and once for a Breitling Ti bracelet. No issues at all, obviously just watch the extra you could end up paying in UK duty.

Thanks omegac. How will i know if i have duty to pay or not? Or is it pot luck?

[yeti]

cayman-black said:

Thanks omegac. How will i know if i have duty to pay or not? Or is it pot luck?

You will have to pay duty by law. Or you could ask them to help avoid it by illegally describing the parcel as being worth less than it is.

Which would be naughty.

[Dominic H]

cayman-black said:

omegac said:

Used them a few times when the exchange rate was a lot more favourable, one for an Omega Chronograph and once for a Breitling Ti bracelet. No issues at all, obviously just watch the extra you could end up paying in UK duty.

Thanks omegac. How will i know if i have duty to pay or not? Or is it pot luck?

I think the threshold for VAT and duty is £120. What are you after?

[omegac]

cayman-black said:

Thanks omegac. How will i know if i have duty to pay or not? Or is it pot luck?

To be honest the watch was about ten years ago and I can't remember if it got caught or not, the bracelet was more recent but I got it sent to my sister in the US who brought it over when she was visiting. As the others have said, you need to figure on a worse case scenario of adding 20% and then decide if it's worth it.

HTH.

[Whitean3]

yeti said:

You will have to pay duty by law. Or you could ask them to help avoid it by illegally describing the parcel as being worth less than it is.

Which would be naughty.

Another naughty trick I have heard about is to mark the parcel as sent for repair. That way, a high value watch can be insured for it's true worth, but the "value" of the package is the cost of the repair, thus avoiding tax or import duty.

[yeti]

Whitean3 said:

Another naughty trick I have heard about is to mark the parcel as sent for repair.

I have also heard this

Of course the watch wouldn't be travelling with it's box and papers, they'd be sent seperately and of course have no real value as such, they're just an empty box and some papers for a non-existant watch or perhaps a replacment

[yeti]

Another thing to remember is the vast majority of businesses will NOT do the above.

Why should they, they run the risk. It's only really possible with family or friends in the US doing it for you. But if you don't ask etc...