Has the Rolex bubble finally burst? Perhaps it has

[Wills2]

It's perfectly polite to call someone Sir when you don't know them, especially in a formal setting, I find it really strange that anyone would be ambivalent towards it, never mind disliking it as a form of address.

[okgo]

It’s needlessly stuffy. Ultimately they’re just watch shops.

[Mont Blanc]

Louis Balfour said:

Shnozz said:

Buster73 said:

In 2015 I walked into the Rolex dealer in Gran Canaria wearing typical holiday attire ,there was plenty of stock to choose from but I tried on and bought a Batman .

No fuss , no condescending look down the nose of the sales assistant , just good old fashioned service, remember those days ?

She didn’t call me sir either …..

Did you declare it at customs? Always wonder whether people just take a chance. All very well wearing it but that doesn’t explain the great big box and papers in your hand luggage.

When was the last time you saw anyone staffing UK customs, much less stopping anyone? The last time I saw it was 1976. That was so long ago you were still allowed to smoke on 'planes.

This.

I know of numerous people who have bought a Rolex or A.N.Other brand whilst abroad and none of them have ever even had the slightest inkling to declare it.

[popeyewhite]

okgo said:

It’s needlessly stuffy. Ultimately they’re just watch shops.

Doesn't really matter, it's still considered good manners regardless of the type of shop. Stuffiness is some other issue.

[popeyewhite]

Mont Blanc said:

Louis Balfour said:

Shnozz said:

Buster73 said:

In 2015 I walked into the Rolex dealer in Gran Canaria wearing typical holiday attire ,there was plenty of stock to choose from but I tried on and bought a Batman .

No fuss , no condescending look down the nose of the sales assistant , just good old fashioned service, remember those days ?

She didn’t call me sir either …..

Did you declare it at customs? Always wonder whether people just take a chance. All very well wearing it but that doesn’t explain the great big box and papers in your hand luggage.

When was the last time you saw anyone staffing UK customs, much less stopping anyone? The last time I saw it was 1976. That was so long ago you were still allowed to smoke on 'planes.

This.

I know of numerous people who have bought a Rolex or A.N.Other brand whilst abroad and none of them have ever even had the slightest inkling to declare it.

It's called 20% VAT, nothing to do with staffing levels at customs. Walk through the DECLARE door and see what happens.

[Teatowell]

popeyewhite said:

It's called 20% VAT, nothing to do with staffing levels at customs. Walk through the DECLARE door and see what happens.

Or walk through the nothing to declare door and see what happens.

[dickymint]

Shnozz said:

Buster73 said:

In 2015 I walked into the Rolex dealer in Gran Canaria wearing typical holiday attire ,there was plenty of stock to choose from but I tried on and bought a Batman .

No fuss , no condescending look down the nose of the sales assistant , just good old fashioned service, remember those days ?

She didn’t call me sir either …..

Did you declare it at customs? Always wonder whether people just take a chance. All very well wearing it but that doesn’t explain the great big box and papers in your hand luggage.

Would that be the "great bix box and papers" that appears in the post a day or two later

[popeyewhite]

Teatowell said:

popeyewhite said:

It's called 20% VAT, nothing to do with staffing levels at customs. Walk through the DECLARE door and see what happens.

Or walk through the nothing to declare door and see what happens.

Sorry, lost me there.

[paulguitar]

I've been stopped by a customs officer once in 170-180 returns through UK airports. He asked me about the watch I had on (a Breitling) and my guitar (a Martin).

'Forgetting' to declare something expensive for VAT offers pretty good odds.

[Mont Blanc]

popeyewhite said:

Mont Blanc said:

Louis Balfour said:

Shnozz said:

Buster73 said:

In 2015 I walked into the Rolex dealer in Gran Canaria wearing typical holiday attire ,there was plenty of stock to choose from but I tried on and bought a Batman .

No fuss , no condescending look down the nose of the sales assistant , just good old fashioned service, remember those days ?

She didn’t call me sir either …..

Did you declare it at customs? Always wonder whether people just take a chance. All very well wearing it but that doesn’t explain the great big box and papers in your hand luggage.

When was the last time you saw anyone staffing UK customs, much less stopping anyone? The last time I saw it was 1976. That was so long ago you were still allowed to smoke on 'planes.

This.

I know of numerous people who have bought a Rolex or A.N.Other brand whilst abroad and none of them have ever even had the slightest inkling to declare it.

It's called 20% VAT, nothing to do with staffing levels at customs. Walk through the DECLARE door and see what happens.

Yes, everyone is well aware of what it means.

But everyone is deliberately walking through the "Nothing to declare" isle with their new purchase, specifically to avoid the VAT, which of course you knew.

The point being made, is that the chances of being stopped are incredibly remote and people are gleefully taking advantage of that, and who can blame them?

[popeyewhite]

Mont Blanc said:

Yes, everyone is well aware of what it means.

But everyone is deliberately walking through the "Nothing to declare" isle with their new purchase, specifically to avoid the VAT, which of course you knew.

You are quite right, so why mention lack of staff? Let's be honest here...

Mont Blanc said:

The point being made, is that the chances of being stopped are incredibly remote and people are gleefully taking advantage of that, and who can blame them?

Well actually I entirely agree. 20% is a huge mark up on an expensive watch...and for what?

[Mont Blanc]

popeyewhite said:

Mont Blanc said:

Yes, everyone is well aware of what it means.

But everyone is deliberately walking through the "Nothing to declare" isle with their new purchase, specifically to avoid the VAT, which of course you knew.

You are quite right, so why mention lack of staff? Let's be honest here...

I personally didn't mention a lack of customers staff, others did, but I happen to agree with them.

I can't remember the last time I saw any Customs staff standing watching people or stopping people who were walking through the 'Nothing to declare' lane. I don't know anyone who has ever been stopped or searched (that they mentioned).

I guess the points being made about staff is that people wouldn't chance it through customs if there were seemingly more customs staff and more random checks.

Edited by Mont Blanc on Thursday 27th June 14:41

[popeyewhite]

I saw it (obvs) as attempted justification to avoid import duties. Call me a cynic but regardless of staffing levels men old enough to spend, let's say, £10k on a watch, know they're deliberately avoiding the VAT the moment they choose Nothing to Declare.

[Mont Blanc]

popeyewhite said:

I saw it (obvs) as attempted justification to avoid import duties. Call me a cynic but regardless of staffing levels men old enough to spend, let's say, £10k on a watch, know they're deliberately avoiding the VAT the moment they choose Nothing to Declare.

Absolutely, people are well aware they are deliberately avoiding VAT, and are choosing it.

The same as I deliberately avoided some VAT this week when I told a tradesman I would pay him in cash for a large joinery project he is doing for me, thus saving me around £900.

Lack of customs staff isn't justification. It's an opportunity.

[Louis Balfour]

popeyewhite said:

Mont Blanc said:

Louis Balfour said:

Shnozz said:

Buster73 said:

In 2015 I walked into the Rolex dealer in Gran Canaria wearing typical holiday attire ,there was plenty of stock to choose from but I tried on and bought a Batman .

No fuss , no condescending look down the nose of the sales assistant , just good old fashioned service, remember those days ?

She didn’t call me sir either …..

Did you declare it at customs? Always wonder whether people just take a chance. All very well wearing it but that doesn’t explain the great big box and papers in your hand luggage.

When was the last time you saw anyone staffing UK customs, much less stopping anyone? The last time I saw it was 1976. That was so long ago you were still allowed to smoke on 'planes.

This.

I know of numerous people who have bought a Rolex or A.N.Other brand whilst abroad and none of them have ever even had the slightest inkling to declare it.

It's called 20% VAT, nothing to do with staffing levels at customs. Walk through the DECLARE door and see what happens.

You'll trip over broken furniture, or a bucket and mop left there by the cleaners?

[popeyewhite]

Louis Balfour said:

popeyewhite said:

Mont Blanc said:

Louis Balfour said:

Shnozz said:

Buster73 said:

In 2015 I walked into the Rolex dealer in Gran Canaria wearing typical holiday attire ,there was plenty of stock to choose from but I tried on and bought a Batman .

No fuss , no condescending look down the nose of the sales assistant , just good old fashioned service, remember those days ?

She didn’t call me sir either …..

Did you declare it at customs? Always wonder whether people just take a chance. All very well wearing it but that doesn’t explain the great big box and papers in your hand luggage.

When was the last time you saw anyone staffing UK customs, much less stopping anyone? The last time I saw it was 1976. That was so long ago you were still allowed to smoke on 'planes.

This.

I know of numerous people who have bought a Rolex or A.N.Other brand whilst abroad and none of them have ever even had the slightest inkling to declare it.

It's called 20% VAT, nothing to do with staffing levels at customs. Walk through the DECLARE door and see what happens.

You'll trip over broken furniture, or a bucket and mop left there by the cleaners?

Has anyone walked through Declare? Anyone on here like to report on what happens the other side of the door? Mobbed by bored staff?

[Shnozz]

Didn’t wish to open a can of worms, just genuinely wondered what people elected to do. Clear now. Posting box and papers does perhaps seem a safer bet.

[paulguitar]

popeyewhite said:

Has anyone walked through Declare? Anyone on here like to report on what happens the other side of the door? Mobbed by bored staff?

I did it once. There was a telephone there, which nobody answered.

[eyebeebe]

Shnozz said:

Didn’t wish to open a can of worms, just genuinely wondered what people elected to do. Clear now. Posting box and papers does perhaps seem a safer bet.

Frankly I’d worry more about the package being opened by customs through the postal system if it didn’t have paperwork on it rather than getting stopped coming through the airport, but that may be because I live in Switzerland and am used to getting stung for import duty, VAT and ridiculous admin fees on parcels.

We’ve only once been stopped by customs at the airport when walking through with an expensive looking carrier bag. Customs were disgusted to find out that it had about €40 of Belgian chocolate in it. “Why would you bring chocolate to Switzerland” etc

[g4ry13]

Shnozz said:

Didn’t wish to open a can of worms, just genuinely wondered what people elected to do. Clear now. Posting box and papers does perhaps seem a safer bet.

Walk through customs with nothing to declare. If you're travelling with someone else and you're extra paranoid then chuck the box and papers in their luggage and walk through separately.

Or abide by the law and fork up 20% to customs.