With horror stories about how the European customs will check your branded bags for reps and issuing large fines for possession of one. I always had this fear of being caught at customs with a rep watch... What are your experiences?
-
Tired of adverts on RWI? - Subscribe by clicking HERE and PMing Trailboss for instructions and they will magically go away!
Travelling with a replica
- Thread starter Darthmemnoch
- Start date
MrYesterday
I'm Pretty Popular
Switzerland is the only country that validates authenticity of watches when going through customs... at least the last time I checked. I've traveled back and forth around Europe 25-30 time, and never had a customs agent bat an eye at my watches.
Never had any trouble with customs, and to be honest they probably have enough hunting terrorists and drug smugglers then people with rep watches 
But to be on the "safe" don´t wear you bling Rolex "Gaytona" or similar watch...
Been wearing my AP, Hublot and Rolexes through various countries, stick with steel watches to draw less attention if your worrid.
But to be on the "safe" don´t wear you bling Rolex "Gaytona" or similar watch...
Been wearing my AP, Hublot and Rolexes through various countries, stick with steel watches to draw less attention if your worrid.
how do they validate teh authenticity in customs of watches,
do they have a watchmaker on duty to take off the case back when u cross customs...seriously that seem ridickulous...freaking ADs cant tell teh difference in most of my watches,
do they have a watchmaker on duty to take off the case back when u cross customs...seriously that seem ridickulous...freaking ADs cant tell teh difference in most of my watches,
RobbDizzle
I'm Pretty Popular
- 15/10/10
- 2,410
- 1
- 38
I've never had problems with pieces that I'm wearing...I usually only travel with 1 or 2 extra pieces as well. I'd stick with stainless watches as suggested, draw less attention in any case.
MrYesterday
I'm Pretty Popular
Countries I am particularly concerned about this year, Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, Uk, Hong Kong... To date I have always worn my boring o'trusty gen omega or a seiko diver. But it's such a waste not to be able to wear a nice rep when out relaxing...
I wear my first rep ever whenever I travel--and that has been throughout Europe and North Africa: a Davidson PAM 112 on a Savage strap. It has fooled several ARs but is a rep of a 'bottom end' PAM so I suspect anyone at an airport eyeing it assumes it is genuine and lets it pass. I think it is the strap as much as anything.
Yea for my job I travel internationally almost everyday through out asia. Almost all my watches are Reps, and touch wood so far. No ware looks or cares!
Dan
Dan
Switzerland trains customs agents to spot reps ?????? Get a clue dummies. People are looking to blow up Planes and hijack them. But they are concerned with a $50 rep. Amazing ...
Actually I just got checked at customs last month.. I brought 8 watches in a travelling case.. No problem at all, they just opened and I just said personal watches
So yeah shouldn't worry too much unless you're carrying more than one of the SAME watches (reselling) then you should be fine.
So yeah shouldn't worry too much unless you're carrying more than one of the SAME watches (reselling) then you should be fine.
studio1one
Active Member
- 28/10/10
- 421
- 149
- 43
I think the Swiss probably see replica watches as a bigger threat to them than terrorism.
I'd be surprised if anyone gets a 'pull' coming through UK Customs. I've travelled through extensively and never had an eyelid batted.
Which country was that? 8 watches and personal ... you were lucky
Yeah, which country?
Well don't worry if you fly to the Netherlands, it's legal to bring a rep in , posting is different though if they find it in the mail you'll lose it but you may bring up to 3 reps of anything with you comming into the Netherlands .
, posting is different though if they find it in the mail you'll lose it but you may bring up to 3 reps of anything with you comming into the Netherlands .Interesting stuff. I travel internationally frequently and to be honest, it had never even crossed my mind that wearing a rep would be an issue. Both of my reps (Rolex GMT IIc & PAM 111) are very accurate so it would take a very clued up customs official to spot them.
I've been through New Zealand, Iceland, Germany, Turkey, France, Greece, Spain, Italy, Afghanistan, and Iraq (some several times) and no one seemed to notice in any of them. I've never traveled with more than three at a time though.
MrYesterday
I'm Pretty Popular
Here's one of the articles.
"People arriving in Switzerland wearing fake watches could have their illicit goods snatched away under new customs powers that come into force from July 1. For the first time, border officials will be able to confiscate counterfeit products intended for personal use, in addition to existing powers to seize items smuggled into the country for resale.
The illegal counterfeit market costs the Swiss economy an estimated SFr2 billion ($1.79 billion) a year and the watchmaking industry alone some SFr800 million ($718 million).
The recent amendment to the Swiss patent protection laws closed a loophole that allowed individuals to enter the country with fake goods they had bought for themselves.
Similar laws exist in Italy and France, but Switzerland will stop short of trying to prosecute people as it would be too difficult to prove that they had knowingly bought illegal goods.
Jean-Daniel Pasche, president of the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, welcomed the move as an "important breakthrough".
"The damage to the reputation of Swiss watches is the same if one person smuggles in 200 watches or 200 people bring in one fake each," he told swissinfo.
"We are active in many countries, asking them to pay attention to the counterfeit problem, but we must also set an example in Switzerland too."
The federation is working closely with customs officials to train officers to spot counterfeit watches. It also has a specialist team that can analyze suspect items in detail to determine whether they are fakes or not."
"People arriving in Switzerland wearing fake watches could have their illicit goods snatched away under new customs powers that come into force from July 1. For the first time, border officials will be able to confiscate counterfeit products intended for personal use, in addition to existing powers to seize items smuggled into the country for resale.
The illegal counterfeit market costs the Swiss economy an estimated SFr2 billion ($1.79 billion) a year and the watchmaking industry alone some SFr800 million ($718 million).
The recent amendment to the Swiss patent protection laws closed a loophole that allowed individuals to enter the country with fake goods they had bought for themselves.
Similar laws exist in Italy and France, but Switzerland will stop short of trying to prosecute people as it would be too difficult to prove that they had knowingly bought illegal goods.
Jean-Daniel Pasche, president of the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, welcomed the move as an "important breakthrough".
"The damage to the reputation of Swiss watches is the same if one person smuggles in 200 watches or 200 people bring in one fake each," he told swissinfo.
"We are active in many countries, asking them to pay attention to the counterfeit problem, but we must also set an example in Switzerland too."
The federation is working closely with customs officials to train officers to spot counterfeit watches. It also has a specialist team that can analyze suspect items in detail to determine whether they are fakes or not."