Do you take REPs with you on holiday if you have to go through customs controls?

[falcodellastrada]

how do you take REP watches on trips if you have to take planes or ships?
I heard they often check by opening the suitcase
Lately in airports there are financial police checks with checks aimed at REP objects and then they are placed in display cases to scare the passenger.

 

[JayBee0815]

The customs controls are not "aimed at REP objects". At least here in Germany they are highly interested in Gens, that where bought in countries with low or even no VAT. You have to declare them and pay 19% VAT and if you try to hide the watch from the customs its a criminal offense with very high penalties. Reps are more or less by-catch and the "display cases" are imo just a show, probably financed by the watch companies ;-)

 

[bangwang67]

how do you take REP watches on trips if you have to take planes or ships?
I heard they often check by opening the suitcase
Lately in airports there are financial police checks with checks aimed at REP objects and then they are placed in display cases to scare the passenger.

You wear it on your wrist just like any other watches. Maybe pack your other watches in your watch-roll or pouch and put it into your carry on luggage. Don't try to act all suspicious or be nervous just treat the watch as is and wear it.

 

[mclarendude]

They literally don't care. Just don't take enough for them to charge you with intention to distribute. I've traveled with my reps and gens without a hitch for decades.

 

[Rx4Time]

Be aware of the country you're going to. Most can care less, but there's a few that I wouldn't bring more then one extra to, not because it's a replica, but because they might hit you with customs import duties.

From The Archives: Swiss Customs Targeting Watch Show Attendees

A personal experience with Swiss Customs on the way to Baselworld 2019 resulting in thousands in fines and taxes on personal watches.

www.fratellowatches.com

 

[falcodellastrada]

I would like to bring a smartwatch and a rep. Is it preferable to put the rep on the wrist or in hand luggage? If they stop me at customs, can they ask me for info on the watch or can they take it to check it? I ask because I have no experience of going abroad from Italy

 

[Rx4Time]

I'd wear the rep personally, and not even bother mentioning the presence of the smartwatch unless they ask about electornic devices as it's more of a wearable cellphone accessory then a watch.

 

[Rx4Time]

The replica items siezed are usually discovered when someone is trying to bring in dozens of them. In order for them to sieze a singular watch, or even a couple as replicas they would have to be pretty sure they were fake. It's unlikely a high end replica would not pass this cursory scrutiny by a busy customs agent. More likely is they would asume genuine and not properly declared and want to collect duties and fines on the genuine value. More reason to wear the replica and if a second was going along, make it a lesser recognized brand or one that's not an expensive model.

 

[okaybg]

As mentioned above, at arrivals, when is customs control will be more into someone trying to bring dozens of watches. Customs are not interested in your collection or the one on your wrist. They are more into someone who claims his vat abroad and tries to avoid paying taxes.

 

[Feefo]

I’ve traveled last week with a Daytona on the wrist and a sub + a pelagos in the carry on from Frankfurt to Italy and back. Nothing happened.

 

[JayBee0815]

I’ve traveled last week with a Daytona on the wrist and a sub + a pelagos in the carry on from Frankfurt to Italy and back. Nothing happened.

That is within the Customs Union ;-)

 

[Feefo]

That is within the Customs Union ;-)

Yes, sure. What I meant is someone saw two additional watches in the x-ray and didn't bother to call the customs agents that usually stand in pairs or threesomes at the exit of the security area. That's the same security checks everyone uses, also those travelling outside of customs unions.
If we talk about that, I've never been stopped while going through the "nothing to declare" door.

 

[Karbon74]

how do you take REP watches on trips if you have to take planes or ships?
I heard they often check by opening the suitcase
Lately in airports there are financial police checks with checks aimed at REP objects and then they are placed in display cases to scare the passenger.

If you are going to highly touristic areas, you have more risks to get the watch ripped of your arm than being screened at customs. Especially if you are wearing it with maybe another in your carry-on.

If you are packing a roll with +8, you do run a small risk when entering the Schengen Zone. But not because of reps, because you are bringing facially goods of very high value without paying import.

Within Schengen, zero risk of customs.

 

[eBoy]

I took 7 watches (1 gen, 6 reps ) with me to a recent overseas trip to Asia, totally forgetting that it's possibly the dumbest thing I could do as I'll have to re-enter the Schengen zone coming from a country full of counterfeit shit. I realized it before the outward flight at the airport when it was already too late. There were no checked-in baggage controls on the flight back, but carry-on baggage checks. Hadn't seen those in many years. My heart almost stopped, but then I just put on my best possible poker face and slowly and confidently went through the green 'nothing to declare' path with a couple of armed customs officers staring at me, but ultimately not being interested. Lucky day.

 

[g00n]

I took 7 watches (1 gen, 6 reps ) with me to a recent overseas trip to Asia, totally forgetting that it's possibly the dumbest thing I could do as I'll have to re-enter the Schengen zone coming from a country full of counterfeit shit. I realized it before the outward flight at the airport when it was already too late. There were no checked-in baggage controls on the flight back, but carry-on baggage checks. Hadn't seen those in many years. My heart almost stopped, but then I just put on my best possible poker face and slowly and confidently went through the green 'nothing to declare' path with a couple of armed customs officers staring at me, but ultimately not being interested. Lucky day.

Uk (non EU) to EU trip. Everything circled in blue carried in a backpack, went through customs and security checks with no problems whatsoever. I think they are more interested in finding weapons and drugs……

 

[TESLA760]

I have a watch roll that holds 3. Take it with me everywhere

 

[JayBee0815]

Uk (non EU) to EU trip. Everything circled in blue carried in a backpack, went through customs and security checks with no problems whatsoever. I think they are more interested in finding weapons and drugs……

It really depends on your travel route. In the UK, VAT is higher than in Germany, for example, so the country is not particularly attractive for "tax evaders". The situation is different with Switzerland, Hong Kong and all the small tax havens in the Persian Gulf.

A German football celebrity can tell you a thing or two about it ;-)

Criminal fine for Rummenigge – DW – 11/11/2013

Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has been forced to pay a nearly 250,000 euro ($335,000) fine to German authorities, according to a media report. The penalty stems from undeclared watches at airport customs.

www.dw.com

 

[Plaasbaas]

It really depends on your travel route. In the UK, VAT is higher than in Germany, for example, so the country is not particularly attractive for "tax evaders". The situation is different with Switzerland, Hong Kong and all the small tax havens in the Persian Gulf.

A German football celebrity can tell you a thing or two about it ;-)

Criminal fine for Rummenigge – DW – 11/11/2013

Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has been forced to pay a nearly 250,000 euro ($335,000) fine to German authorities, according to a media report. The penalty stems from undeclared watches at airport customs.

www.dw.com

It's the route, the knowledge about countries' individual rules and the luck of the draw. And sometimes they step up their game around special occasions. Around the soccer championship in South Africa they opened almost every boarding luggage, even opened my camera and took it apart. Even worse, some years ago the total worth of what was brought into the country - gifts or personal items - had to be declared and was being controlled randomly by questioning and going through your stuff. But luckily that has changed since many years now.

 

[evilgenius88]

I travel with reps without problems, but usually just one on the wrist.

Obviously, this is a limited "data set" but I've worn my 1675 in and out of the USA, Canada, Mexico, UK, Netherlands, Belgoum, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, France and Portugal without a hitch.

In my experience, customs rarely make an issue about a watch on your wrist. However, that's not the law, just a common practice.

It might help that my reps are often "vintage" - not sure what would happen if I tried to walk through customs with a brand new shiny Submariner.

If they would ask me, I'd claim gen and accept to pay import duties. But I would explain to them that I will be traveling back with the same watch and request to get that money back when I leave the country.

Bottom line for me is: I won't travel with a watch I'm not OK with losing through either customs confiscation or theft.

 

[evilgenius88]

Uk (non EU) to EU trip. Everything circled in blue carried in a backpack, went through customs and security checks with no problems whatsoever. I think they are more interested in finding weapons and drugs……

Holy mackerel! That would be a fun import duty bill if they considered those bad boys gen!