Moving countries (Uk-Australia) - where to put the watch box...

[specitim]

After 5 years in the UK, I'm moving home to Australia. Everything is just about packed, and the movers are coming this week... however I haven't yet decided what to do with my watch box.

I have a mix of reps and gens. I was thinking of putting the gens in my carry luggage, but for the reps - taking advice on whether or not it's a good idea to put them in my luggage, where they may get scrutinised by Aussie customs, or risk putting them into one of my moving boxes (which I feel is somewhat unsafe...)

Anyone had to do this before? Or has anyone travelled with their collection and had experience with customs agents? Advice appreciated

T

 

[Nivka]

Hmm I've never been in your situation, but I'd be tempted to put them all in together. How many do you have? I can't imagine customs officers being able to pick high end reps. Plus I thought it was legal to own them, just not to sell them?

 

[Norrie]

How many are we talking? Aussie customs are pretty cool unless you're trying to smuggle plant material or a pet dog.

 

[Rx4Time]

Can you mail them ahead of time? I'd split them up and mail them. Safer then boxing and probably safer then checked luggage also.

 

[specitim]

@Nivka Urgh I have 4 gens and 9 reps. I am more worried about them saying "thats 100k worth of watches there mate, are you money laundering??"
@teddy875 urgh I don't really want to mail to Aus, don't have a lot of faith in the mail system!

@Norrie yeah you know, I normally stress the hell out before going through customs and they normally just wave me through haha... it's just this one time that I need to get through quickly, this one time! Ok maybe I'll just carry them in and stress I've owned them all for over 12 months (i think that's the rule).

Cheers all

 

[Norrie]

You could post them via Columbia. A lot of stuff seems to slip through customs from there.

 

[Oris]

From personal experience when entering Australia, your carry on luggage is not checked unless bio material is detected.
I've not had carry on re-checked on arrival in Australia @specitim and I have brought reps through.

That's largely because carry on luggage is xrayed at the point of origin, and usually they'll only ask to open your luggage if they suspect you appear to have what might be explosives or drugs.

I think bringing them through via carry on is fine. You're moving here and are carrying fragile things with you. You aren't actually doing anything wrong.

 

[specitim]

You could post them via Columbia. A lot of stuff seems to slip through customs from there.

Hah. The AFP have been pretty good recently

 

[specitim]

From personal experience when entering Australia, your carry on luggage is not checked unless bio material is detected.
I've not had carry on re-checked on arrival in Australia @specitim and I have brought reps through.

That's largely because carry on luggage is xrayed at the point of origin, and usually they'll only ask to open your luggage if they suspect you appear to have what might be explosives or drugs.

I think bringing them through via carry on is fine. You're moving here and are carrying fragile things with you. You aren't actually doing anything wrong.

Fair enough @Oris I'll do that. Bloody things weigh a bit though I'll get the missus to carry a few for me

 

[Rx4Time]

Perhaps you may need to declare their presence? I know in the US if you have more then $10,000 in carry on you must declare it's presence or it could be siezed. Not sure about jewelery. Below is a website that may help. "Personal goods are free from duty and tax if they are:
-owned and used by passenger overseas for 12 months or more.
-imported temporarily (a security may be required by Customs).". I'm pretty sure you will need to declare the fact you have owned them for more then 12 months and they are personal property, but I don't see how to on the Australian customs website. I'd hate for you to get stuck paying duties on what they think is tens of thousands of dollars of watches. Australian customs charges duties on everything over $900 being imported.

I know for someone traveling out of the US, you can fill out a form before you leave stating you are bringing certain expensive items like jewelery, watches, etc so upon return there is no hassles.


http://www.iatatravelcentre.com/AU-Australia-customs-currency-airport-tax-regulations-summary.htm

https://carryonguy.com/customs-cash-limits/

 

[Billionaire]

If it makes you feel comfortable, I brought home nine reps in my checked in luggage from Singapore.

Not going to lie, a little stress was had when checking my baggage in, but it made it through both countries customs without so much as a bat of an eye it seems.

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[specitim]

Sooo update on this - the move happened today. After reading through the shipping documentation, they specifically ban putting jewellery and watches in the container!! Said that if you itemised anything then they would take it out and you have to go collect it. I guess for insurance purposes...

In any case, I put the watch box (sans watches) into the container, and bought a couple of nice travel cases from Amazon for the journey home. Am going to Aus via China so fingers crossed there aren't any issues

 

[sgtguk]

You'll be fine mate I've experience on this one both to and from Oz and Uk brought my whole collection 30+ pieces each time gens and reps and no issues [emoji106] best of luck going home bud


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[peterpl]

Australia customs you will have no issues whatsoever. They are pretty cool on all this stuff. If you try contraband or some other illegal substances like live animals or plants then your screwed.

All good man dont stress.

 

[trailboss99]

I assume you have a container coming over? Wrap everything up and shove it in there. Safest place.
If not then depending on how many watches we are talking about you may have a problem.

 

[Dreams watch]

I brought all 12 of my reps in a watch box from Malaysia to Australia. No problems whatsover


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[Overport]

Good thing you didn't post them. The new Australia Post machines beat the shit out of parcels. Very high damage rates and 'lost' contents.

Don't ask how I know

 

[frankonthemove]

You should be fine, Ive gone in and out of OZ on many occasions with 5 or 6 reps, never asked or stopped once. Italy was the only place I was stopped once ,going in, and all they could do was ask if I should pay customs, to which I said no, and my original papers are elsewhere, and then the clowns said they are all used anyway, looking at the straps, and then they wowww and arrrrred on how beautiful the watches were. All reps! mind you when I eventually go back to OZ I'll be sweating as well. Good luck

 

[specitim]

Update - ended up carrying everything over in hand luggage. Wife and I were waived through by customs. No issues and all my babies are safe

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[RepPossessed]

I think youre worrying over nothing. Just tuck them somewhere within all your stuff, i cant forsee any issues. Definitely wouldnt be posting them!