Reply With QuoteGoldsmiths had 20% off earlier this month so could be worth a try.
Hi all,
I am in London visiting my brother and will be out shopping in the centre over the next few days. I have really taken a fancy to a SBGE255 and will see if I can find one to see in person. Does anyone know if the dealers here (WOS only by the looks of it) offer any discounts? It is between this and a Chronomaster Sport but I have always wanted a Spring Drive so might as well scratch that itch!
Goldsmiths had 20% off earlier this month so could be worth a try.
Very little chance of a big discount on that particular model from WOS
Re bricks and mortar stores Goldsmiths and Chisholm Hunter also have it (CH Kingston definitely does) as will the Seiko Boutique.
I'd check it out in person and then find an online retailer who will do a discount (or check on chrono24 for best pricing). An online discount of 15-20% should be doable.
Cheapest will be importing from Japan via a C24 seller. You can get that BNIB landed from Japan with all VAT paid for around £4k vs £5750 UK RRP, so a saving of over 30%.
Last edited by ryanb741; 27th December 2023 at 04:30.
The Zenith could be had with 20% off at goldsmiths the other day.
See recent thread that Ryan started - PSA WOS discount - or something like that.
I think that is a real bargain.
For the GS, I think just haggle. I have bought a few new from various ADs and always managed a decent saving.
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Is that the only customs costs from Japan? Generally most of the watches from Japan are very cheap comparably on C24, I’ve been tempted but never committed as assumed the duty and VAT would be awful…Originally Posted by ryanb741
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Just 20% VAT. No customs duty on watches. There may be a handling charge from the courier, typically £20 or so but that's it.
I bought mine, an SBGN003, from a dealer in Japan via Chrono24. It was recently discontinued, but its last rrp was £3100, and I paid £2233 after taxes. We had a flurry of messages on the weekend, it was shipped on Monday and arrived Wednesday. I would absolutely take this route again.
Dave
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They will give you more off if you will take one out of the GS bucket. They put their hand in to the bucket and you end up with one of thousand variants They make each year. Everyone is a winner.
Out of curiosity I had a look on our Governments website this morning and they stipulate 2 percent on watches. I wonder whether it's so small that if you don't declare it in advance, customs just ignore it?
Not sure of the route they take but the watch village have loads of stuff, mainly from Japan. Must make sense to import, put right any refinishing and add a margin.
2% but I think capped at less than £1 so they don't end up taking anything
Where did you see 2.0% duty? I thought it was 20p per item, so in effect nowt.
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Last edited by BillyCasper; 27th December 2023 at 17:14.
Buy pre-owned big savings to be had
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https://www.gov.uk/guidance/simplifi...ds-into-the-uk
It's 20p and not collected. Just VAT at 20% plus courier handling fees to pay on watches
Yes I bought a chronomaster sport (used) from Japan earlier this year, just vat at 20% paid to courier. It was very smooth.
Not disputing what happens in reality, just intrigued as to why the Government website seems to contradict itself on two different pages. The only difference I can see is the 2 percent being online and in advance and the 20p being at the point of entry.
A possible explanation:
The 2% is a simplified, blended rate for everything falling under class 91 which has many sub-categories each with its own tariff rate further complicated with different rates depending on whether the country of origin is a pariah state in the eyes of the British or a country who we have a preferential trade deal with.
A completed watch might have a standard tariff of 20p but a watch case on its own as a component might be 15% duty or more or less depending on the material and country of origin.
HMRC might have calculated that on average, everything in class 91 approximates to 2%.
Leaving the EU has brought in a lot of complexity which individuals or small businesses struggle with, but large businesses can handle with systems. I know the government has attempted to bring in simplified processes. May be part of that.
There are also other simplified systems dreamt up by the government, for example input and output VAT for small businesses, perhaps akin to that.
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Last edited by BillyCasper; 28th December 2023 at 09:49.
The table you linked to is for personally bringing goods into the UK when you return from an overseas trip, or, in the case of a foreign national, they are visiting the UK.
The 20 pence rate is for goods you buy overseas and are shipped to you here in the UK.
Now that you've mentioned it, I've re-read it and I'd agree. Typical complex UK tax system that has a different tax rate if you personally bring an item in to the country rather than have it delivered to you in the country.
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