The Breitling Watch Source Forums

I've been looking to get a Super Avenger for a few weeks now and have been thinking of getting one second hand. I've seen a few that range from £1600-£2000, ones around £2000 come with a Pro II and a leather strap. I'm very tempted but I wanted to check something before I pull the trigger. I know the US prices are cheaper than UK prices and was wondering if should just wait and get one from the US later this year. Are there any disadvantages from buying outside the UK? Warranty, servicing etc.

The UK list price is £3300 or thereabouts. What sort of discounts (if any) could I expect from a dealer? The US price on Amazon is $3800. Could this be beaten by visiting a retail store dealer? I would prefer to but from the UK to help the economy (every little helps! ) but not if it means I'm paying way over the odds.

Any info/advice would be appreciated.

If you are going to import it from the US, think about the taxes, customs handling fees and import fees. Currently the prices in the US are lower than in Europe. So if youre going to travel there, I think its definetly worth a few months. If you wear it on your arm when travelling back, the customs wont notice....

There are also places in Europe where you can get alittle knocked off the list price.

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Navitimer, Steelfish, Colt GMT, Aerospace, Chronospace, Chrono Superocean

I would not advise to buy and and put it onthe wrist when you come back. First of all it's illegal. Second of all i saw many watches being seized using that method. If the customs officer see that the watch is new and has a doubt you bought it on the trip, he can seize it. Even on a trip later-on, you have to provide proof that duties and taxes were paid on the watch when you imported it. It could be seized even if it's not new. Then you have a penality to have it back which is more or less 40%. Also, depending on the price of the object seized, prosecution can be done.

Just don't want you to be ill-advised.

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Mat

Breitling Navitimer 01
Omega Seamaster 300mc
Omega Speedmaster Pro "Mitsukoshi Mod"
Seiko Prospek Orange Samurai

An AD in Cardiff had certain Breitlings marked down 50% today They are moving store and I was stunned by some of the discounts on offer.

http://www.parkhouseandwyatt.co.uk/cardiff.asp

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"It's not how it's written it's how it's read"

Wow... The UK laws are not very consumer friendly.

Do you have to pay tax on a used watch?

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This is a Rochefoucauld, the thinnest water-resistant watch in the world. Singularly unique, sculptured in design,hand-crafted in Switzerland.
In Philadelphia it's worth Fifty bucks.

North American prices are certainly lower than Europe, and there is the significant impact of a lot more readiness to discount in North America.

You do have to remember that outside of Europe prices are quoted excluding tax and you will have to pay tax somewhere - sure it can be tax free in the country of purchase but you will be liable for VAT in the UK - and import duty. There are a number of potential ways around it - all of them are illegal.

A used piece will be substantially cheaper - if you turned around and tried to sell a brand new piece an hour after you bought it then you are likely looking at at least a 20% hit, and probably quite a lot more. SAs come up on here quite often and there are quite a few UK members, so worth checking every week or so. Also www.chrono24.com is predominantly European.

Doesn't all countries expect you to pay import tax if you import a watch, and for the customs it doesn't matter if it's new or pre-owned? At least I know very well from own experience that this applies to Sweden and Japan.

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Collection: http://s540.photobucket.com/albums/gg32 ... mview=grid

Import duty generally applies to all items, though some countries have different rates for new and used. We'll need a current UK member to advise about VAT in hte UK, but if I remember correctly from the 90s when I emigrated VAT was only payable on an item once, unlike in North America where it's payable on every transaction. That doesn't have much practical impact if you are importing it to the UK as that will be the first charge.

Yes, if I would buy/sell a watch (or anything else) within Sweden or Japan I would only pay VAT on the first, original transaction. (Now, VAT in Sweden is 25% and by living in Japan I can shop taxfree while visiting relatives - pretty good I think) However, any transaction after that would not have VAT added as long as I'm performing the transaction with a private person.

But, if importing the watch/object, it doesn't matter if it's new or pre-owned.

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Collection: http://s540.photobucket.com/albums/gg32 ... mview=grid

I think if I were trying to bring a watch back into the UK from the US I'd wear it and try and post the boxes back to my home address. Maybe put the COSC certificate in a magazine and bring it back through customs.

We get bent over enough by our government so IMO if its for you and you're not selling them.......

If you do get busted then its a big waste of time and expensive!!

Alternatively the safer option would be haggle with a few local AD's. You'd wasting your time in the likes of Goldsmiths etc. 5% is about as good as they go. Where abouts in the UK are you?

Andrew Michaels (^banner at the top^) is well worth a try

Thanks for all the replies and links.

I've been to the US before and bought back things that would normally be subject to customs charges without any issues. Didn't realise I was taking such a risk!! I'll try the shops/links mentioned and see what sort of price they do.

Would it be worth considering the duty free option at the airport?

BTW I'm located in NW London.

Hi Steve,

Bringing the watch back to the UK on your wrist, you would be liable for customs duty, and Vat which you can pay on the spot, so it would only be taken off you if you did not pay.

Re new or second hand, new is nice and bling ,

But I got my second hand navi world off UK ebay, with box and papers, worn a few times for 60% off posted shop prices. And plenty of guys on the site will give you advice on if the pictures are legitimate, again this only applies to UK Ebay as you have the same importing problems and shipment costs from outside the UK.

Anyway whatever you decide, have fun finding the watch for you,


Ian

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Navitimer World, Callistino.
Omega Speedmaster Moon, Hamilton 992B, Steinhart BS LEII #2, B&R 01-92 Heritage

Thanks! I've seen quite a few on eBay but I'm not too sure I'm confident enough to actually buy from there. Having said that some of prices look too good to be true in which case I guess they probably are.

NW London, ideally situated for Westfield shopping centre then.

I got a superb deal on my Airwolf from DM london in there. They had some discounted models and surprisingly, Ernest jones had followerd suit and discounted some older stock. Always worth a try, although it was a good few weeks ago now.

Christopher Wharton in St Albans, so not a million miles away had some discounted older stock, but certainly no Super Avengers when I looked.

In this country, apart from Andrew Michaels, duty free is often the best deal we get unless like you're lucky enough to find sale items

Yeah, I've been to Westfields a few times to have a look but haven't been since now that I'm ready to buy. I'll try my luck there first and see how it goes. What is a resonable amount to expect of the RRP? 20% 30%? More?

Will look into Andrew Michaels too although they're further away.