how do you ship watches overseas

fret_wimp2

I need to post a watch to the US.

The post office wont do it. They have a courrier service but they wont ship jewellery or watches if i want insurance on them. all they will offer is registered.
Says a lot about what they think of their service quality!

UPS and DHL want over 100 quid to do it, which is a huge part of the value of the watch so uneconomical.

How do you ship watches overseas, at reasonable cost and in reasonable safety?

Deep Thought

I do it registered but at great risk.

I usually tell them is broken and for repair.

So far....so good, Everything has arrived, even my IWC Spitfire Chrono I sent to Watchfinder as a trade...


DT

Wibbs

TBH I prefer registered post to the couriers. If your watch has any value there's a limit to what they'll insure it for. Can't recall what it is but it's not great and try and get a claim off them. I've heard some horror stories.

EDIT I seem to recall this goes double in the US. If I have this right, robbing the US post is a federal matter with big gaol time, but robbing couriers carries less of a sentence. May have that wrong though.

fret_wimp2

it has to be courrier though as the buyer has requested that they can sign for the package. might try again and just declare the object as a paperweight or something.

Wibbs

They sign for it with regged post too surely?

Nonoperational

Registered post, declare low value, and watch for return to sender after repair. Take the risk it will be ok.

I've send 20+ watches this way with zero issues.

Eoin

I think the insurance limit is 150. Next time I ship a watch, I'll tell them it's a time measuring instrument or something like that, so I won't get the "don't insure jewellery" BS.

Deep Thought

Wibbs wrote: »

They sign for it with regged post too surely?

Sure do

fishguy

Hi,

The best way to send a watch to the US is with registered airmail. The maximum amount it can be registered to US destination is €35 only. Still this is the best and most economic way to ship watches. I have sent over two hundred watches to the US with only 1 watch damaged during shipping.

The next best thing would be UPS but depending on the box/padded envelope and the declared value the shipping can be between €150-€400. Customs is another drawback when shipping with UPS as they always get checked by them wheres they mostly slip trough with An Post registered international airmail.

If the watch is really expensive I might consider to deliver it on wrist. I did the same once but that was only to Germany. I got the service scheduled in email and I delivered the watch myself. Had a 3 day holiday (Tuesday to Friday) and collected the watch in person.

I hope I could help.

FG

fret_wimp2

went with standard courrier. told them it was a paperweight. thanks for the help folks.