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Thread: Buying a watch at Heathrow Duty free

  1. #1

    Buying a watch at Heathrow Duty free

    I am travelling to Vietnam and have called WoS regarding a watch , JLC reverso small seconds retail is £5600.

    They said a rough rule of thumb is retail divided by 1.2 is what it will cost me= great good saving.

    however upon my return I will have to declare it.

    if that being the case - is there any benefit to buying at duty free?

  2. #2
    Some watches are just sold discounted, and some are VAT free. I thought recently only a few brands such as Rolex and Tudor etc. Used the VAT off, and most like Omega were VAT paid.
    It's just a matter of time...

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Omegamanic View Post
    Some watches are just sold discounted, and some are VAT free. I thought recently only a few brands such as Rolex and Tudor etc. Used the VAT off, and most like Omega were VAT paid.
    That is the case i.e. discounted, with the Duoface I bought in T3 at the weekend.

  4. #4
    Master
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    Yes most are VAT paid so just discounted. It was only Rolex / Tudor that we’re VAT free and should be declared in re-entry

    It is exactly divided by 1.2 as that equates to the 20% VAT rate.

  5. #5
    Master valleywatch's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by eagletower View Post
    I am travelling to Vietnam and have called WoS regarding a watch , JLC reverso small seconds retail is £5600.

    They said a rough rule of thumb is retail divided by 1.2 is what it will cost me= great good saving.

    however upon my return I will have to declare it.

    if that being the case - is there any benefit to buying at duty free?

    Last year as I was in T. 2, in Heathrow, I tried on a couple of Date-justs.(i doubt there would be any there today though!)...The guy there, was quite helpful, Let me try on a couple etc....He said, if you buy the watch in duty free, go to wherever you are going (in my case it was Thailand). If you leave the watch out of the country for a set amount of time (I dont recall the exact time mentioned..I "think"! it may have been 9 months though?)..then upon your return to the U.K. duty wouldnt need to be paid, as youd had it for X amount of time, and it wasnt brought back into the U.K. in that time?

    Sounded a bit iffy to me! I mean, does that mean, you can buy a watch eg. September 2019, leave it "abroad" (at your second home/famliy members home/friends home! etc!) then a year later pick it up, and bring it back to the UK. in 9 months time...... Of course! Youd be without the watch in the U.K. for the set amount of time, and would have to pick it up another time !

    Of course! you wold be without the watch for a set amount of time.!

    I would like to know if what the sales guy said is correct or not!

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Skyman View Post
    That is the case i.e. discounted, with the Duoface I bought in T3 at the weekend.

    What was the discount? I am actually after a Reverso Small seconds Large size.

    Annoyingly I have been messed about by a jewellery replacement company who the insurance assigned to me to source me some replacement items. I have just asked for the cash now and will source myself.

    Thanks

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by eagletower View Post
    What was the discount? I am actually after a Reverso Small seconds Large size.

    Annoyingly I have been messed about by a jewellery replacement company who the insurance assigned to me to source me some replacement items. I have just asked for the cash now and will source myself.

    Thanks
    I paid £6,541, which equates to a 16.67% discount off £7,850 RRP. That in turn equates to the same maths as Marcel above i.e. divide by 1.2.
    Last edited by Skyman; 8th November 2019 at 14:51.

  8. #8
    Just to get this round my head you do not need to declare that as it wasn't "duty free" as you paid the VAT and that was just a discounted price?

    A great saving.
    Last edited by eagletower; 8th November 2019 at 14:58.

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    Quote Originally Posted by eagletower View Post
    Just to get this round my head you do not need to declare that as it wasn't "duty free" as you paid the VAT and that was just a disocunted price?

    A great saving.
    Exactly.

    Great watch too. Very cool.

  10. #10
    Perfect here's hoping they have what I want with the same discount!

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by eagletower View Post
    Perfect here's hoping they have what I want with the same discount!
    They will order it in specially if you call or email them.
    Which terminal?
    Last edited by Skyman; 8th November 2019 at 15:07.

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Skyman View Post
    They will order it in specially if you call or email them.
    Thanks for that, I'll give them a shout now. Travelling on the 28th so give them a bit of time to get it in.

  13. #13
    Master ozzyb123's Avatar
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    T5 WOS ideal for this, and yes it’s VAT paid discount on non Rolex


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  14. #14
    Here's hoping they have the one I want in stock!

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