Wanted to close this thread with my experience in customs in Philadelphia. It was incredibly fast and efficient. The officer told me he was going to give me the lowest duty rate because I had declared it — he commented he rarely had anyone declare a watch purchase.
Then he used the Euro/dollar exchange rate, not the pound/dollar rate, even though I explicitly said I’d bought it in London and the price on the receipt was in pounds. I didn’t correct him.
Total bill: $98. A lot better than Florida sales tax.
Also, while the officer booted the computer to take my payment (it was off because they rarely use it), another officer came up and we chatted watches. He was wearing a Breitling Navitimer. When he saw I’d bought a Seamaster, he told me he’d always wanted a Speedmaster. After seeing the price I paid, he said he might have to find a cheap flight to London just to buy one.
Click to expand...