New watch stuck at customs

[andykb675]

Hi just after some advice and see if anyone has had any experience with watches stuck with customs ?
I agreed a deal with a Panerai AD over a weekend bizarrely over WhatsApp and was more than content with the deal. Monday morning arrives and their stock watch was sold over the weekend. New watch was ordered same day and expected by that Friday at the latest but didn’t materialise. Meanwhile that week refundable deposit paid as a way of gesture from me to say I’m serious.
So 2 weeks on still no delivery to the shop or tracking number but I receive an update to say it’s stuck at customs and the Panerai rep(I’m assuming Richemont) is trying to unblock it and my updates have kinda dried up. I’ve been in touch with the AD to see what’s going on but very little by the way of an update.By way of validation I did try and order the same watch from Panerai UK online and was told it would arrive from Amsterdam and they couldn’t commit to a delivery date.
Anyone had any recent experience? How long do I wait?

Don’t really want to spit my dummy out as I think I have a good deal but as this is my first big purchase from an AD just wanted to see if there’s any advice or similar experiences so that my imagination calms down

TIA Andy


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[Reeny]

You will need a tracking number to follow the progress through the system.
Ali Express can provide tracking numbers for items less than £10.

The tracking number will ensure there is an actual parcel, and that ensure the parcel is en-route to your address.
Customs could be on a work to rule again if they are still in a pay dispute, so you can expect to wait up to a week for processing if they are short staffed (e.g. during school holidays).
Edit - if the delivery is to an AD, they can still provide a pdf printout of the actual progress.

If the supplier has no evidence of tracking, the alarm bells should start to ring.

[Kingstepper]

Are you sure it’s an AD, not a scammer on WhatsApp?

Not sure of the relevance of Ali Express either…

[torromoto]

I ordered bought a watch from the bay and it was send via USPS...Was able to track it until it ended up witch customs...me waiting..I ended up calling Postnl wich is the dutch post who takes over the delivery from packages abroad to see if they could give me the new tracking code coupled to the one from USPS after it arrived in the Netherland. As I wasn't sure they had my emailadress or mobile to contact me for payment of duties. Normally a courier will take care of all that so it won't end up too long in customs. Anyways at Postnl they didn't help me out..I needed to wait, could take a month in customs. In the end I received an email (guess they did have my contact adress after all) asking for duties payment..Mind you this was after 2weeks. I paid and a few days later it was delivered. Funny Panerai didn't use a courier who takes care of all the hassle for them/you.
Now it's stuck more time then it should. If it's such a good deal you could wait a little bit more...nothing too loose...
Regards,
Guillermo

[verv]

What strap was it on?

[Reeny]

So 2 weeks on still no delivery to the shop or tracking number

For clarification, if Ali can provide tracking from half-way around the world for cheap items, a reputable dealer/trader should be able to provide tracking details for items worth thousands of pounds.
No evidence of tracking = potentially no parcel.

[NigeG]

What strap was it on?

Why should it matter? Alligator takes longer to clear customs compared to leather perhaps?


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[sickie]

They should at work be able to provide a tracking number for you.

I once bought a watch from chrono24 which came from Holland, when it arrived at Newcastle airport it was pulled in by customs plus everything else in the container at random for Checks.

It took 3 weeks before they decided everything was OK, there was nothing DHL could do, apparently it happens but rarely.

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[andykb675]

Are you sure it’s an AD, not a scammer on WhatsApp?

Not sure of the relevance of Ali Express either…

100% sure


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[sickie]

Why should it matter? Alligator takes longer to clear customs compared to leather perhaps?


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Just seen this, it might actually matter Montblanc sent a leather strap back to the AD I took my watch in under warranty, apparently because it was a leather strap it would cause issues with customs.
4 Month later and I'm still waiting to get it back but the strap is currently sitting in the ad's safe :-(

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[andykb675]

What strap was it on?

Interesting you say this as the AD did state it’s not normal to stop rubber strapped watches … but I don’t get the rationale as to the difference it being on a metal one


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[verv]

Why should it matter? Alligator takes longer to clear customs compared to leather perhaps?

If alligator or any strap thats subject to CITES permit gets imported and caught up at Heathrow without the proper documentation then the watch will get impounded and potentially destroyed.
If you can get them to agree to save the watch but remove and dispose of the strap then you can get the head/box/papers released but this can take a good 6 weeks.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/cites-imports-and-exports

[verv]

Interesting you say this as the AD did state it’s not normal to stop rubber strapped watches … but I don’t get the rationale as to the difference it being on a metal one

Rubber and metal should be absolutely fine for customs. Hopefully the delay is just normal clearing etc.

[NigeG]

If alligator or any strap thats subject to CITES permit gets imported and caught up at Heathrow without the proper documentation then the watch will get impounded and potentially destroyed.
If you can get them to agree to save the watch but remove and dispose of the strap then you can get the head/box/papers released but this can take a good 6 weeks.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/cites-imports-and-exports

Wow! Every day is a school day. Thanks Verv


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[andykb675]

Wow! Every day is a school day. Thanks Verv


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Yep I second that and I’m so glad this is the case i can only imagine the stress if I’d paid in full and being in that situation


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[wigdog]

Yep I second that and I’m so glad this is the case i can only imagine the stress if I’d paid in full and being in that situation


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But surely the risk is with the AD, not you? You are buying from the AD and it's their responsibility to get the watch to you, at the price quoted? If you don't want to wait or go through the hassle then the refundable deposit should come back to you?

[Enrico]

A friend had a similar problem with an iwc. Ordered direct online and got held at customs. It took about 3 weeks then arrived.


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[andykb675]

But surely the risk is with the AD, not you? You are buying from the AD and it's their responsibility to get the watch to you, at the price quoted? If you don't want to wait or go through the hassle then the refundable deposit should come back to you?

100% and I’ve had a conversation with them today on that subject … they’re totally supportive of a full refund and we’ve agreed a cutoff of no meaningful updates from Panerai/uk customs


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[andykb675]

So bit of a whirlwind 24 hours … zero updates yesterday due to national holiday in some European country and DHL delivered it to the AD this afternoon.

just can't figure out how to upload the images .. but looks like Panerai has changed their presentation boxes again

c3fbbdd9-2b29-4c3d-8c4e-beb575b535ce by andy blythe, on Flickr

IMG_8720 by andy blythe, on Flickr

[IMG]IMG_8718 by andy blythe, on Flickr[/IMG]

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