What was the highest tariff you paid so far in the USA

river rat · Jun 18, 2026

Well, I finely got stuck with a tariff on this watch.

The price was 1100.00 US dollars I got the watch from Canada thought being 10% tariff it would be 110.00 dollars for the tariff I got this watch for a deal. The seller shipped FedEx when FedEx sent the tariff bill it was 269.34 like 24% looks like FedEx tacked all kinds of other charges. Some of you got more expensive taste than me in watches so be aware you might get a higher tariff bill this tariff the courts said was illegal and the ones in charge are not obeying the law how can our own Govt. break the law and get away with it. I feel like someone from the 1700 who got pissed on a tariff on tea and they got so mad they dump the tea in Boston harbor don't know why we don't have the backbone of the ones 250 years ago and let this keep happening. Now what was the highest tariff you paid.

AAAKK · Jun 18, 2026

This is a Swiss watch which would be the country of origin under tariff regulations. The fact that it was shipped from Canada is irrelevant.

river rat · Jun 19, 2026

Don't think they did that I see 10% for Canada with micky mouse fees added I can't make sense of. And the phone number for Blain Washington a Buffalo New York phone number that's out of order someone lied on the paperwork. The custom duty should have been 110.00.

josiahg52 · Jun 20, 2026

Looking at the CBP Form 7501 and the FedEx invoice, the charges appear to be correct. The watch was exported from Canada, but the country of origin is listed as Switzerland (CH), which is what determines duty and tariff treatment. Shipping from Canada does not make it a Canadian product.

The watch itself was assessed the normal 9.8% duty under HTSUS 9102.21.7030. In addition, an extra 10% tariff under HTSUS 9903.03.01 was applied. Those two rates are cumulative, which is why the total customs duty came to $221.17 on an entered value of about $1,117.

The $2.69 Merchandise Processing Fee is a government fee. The additional $30.50 Clearance Entry Fee and $15.00 Disbursement Fee are FedEx charges for acting as the customs broker and advancing the customs charges to CBP on your behalf. Those are FedEx fees, not additional tariffs.

So this wasn't a case of "it came from Canada, therefore it should only have been 10%." The paperwork shows it was a Swiss-origin watch exported from Canada, and it was assessed the normal 9.8% watch duty plus the additional 10% tariff, which is exactly what the entry summary reflects.

The duty and tariffs were calculated properly. You can complain about the FedEx charges, but they did front the money and do the work for you. You're paying them for the convenience and their time.

TLDR, duty and tariffs are based on country of origin, not necessarily the export country. Carriers who perform the customs handling and processing and pay the amount due up front on your behalf will charge for the service.

river rat · Jun 20, 2026

Tell you I miss the old days before this administration started this. Got some great watches. And got a nice Hanhart Bund 417 and even sent it to Germany for service since two US watchmakers made it worse after they touched it. Still can't believe if I had to send that Hanhart back to Germany for service, I would have to pay a tariff on it when it got shipped back on a watch I owned for years. On that Favre Leuba even with the tariff I think I did OK due to what these sell for because some where worried about the dial so the price was low and the dial most likely legit just a rare one. Just a hard pill to swallow paying that tariff.

YY77 · Jun 20, 2026

river rat
Tell you I miss the old days before this administration started this. Got some great watches. And got a nice Hanhart Bund 417 and even sent it to Germany for service since two US watchmakers made it worse after they touched it. Still can't believe if I had to send that Hanhart back to Germany for service, I would have to pay a tariff on it when it got shipped back on a watch I owned for years.

Surely tariffs can't be applied if only it's shipped abroad for repair?

river rat · Jun 20, 2026

YY77
Surely tariffs can't be applied if only it's shipped abroad for repair?

They are I looked it up. If the paperwork not done right, you could pay a tariff on the watch again. If done right, you pay tariff on parts and labor that's lower than paying tariff on the whole watch again. And a watchmaker might not want to deal with the extra paperwork and not except servicing your watch. Remember this tariff thing was thrown together with no plan just like the war there was no plan on the straight getting blocked and paying out of your nose for gas at the pump. So, anything that gets shipped to the states you get hit with a tariff no matter what. Had one friend who got hit 400 bucks tariff fee from a watch from Japan he would not except it and said return to sender.

Archer · Jun 20, 2026

YY77
Surely tariffs can't be applied if only it's shipped abroad for repair?

Tarrifs and other charges would likely apply to the value added when out of the country. So would be on the value of the repairs.

Before I stopped servicing watches from the US I did this paperwork all the time when sending them back, to clarify the watch value compared to the value of the repairs - the latter is what any charges are calculated against.

YY77 · Jun 20, 2026

Archer
Tarrifs and other charges would likely apply to the value added when out of the country. So would be on the value of the repairs.

Before I stopped servicing watches from the US I did this paperwork all the time when sending them back, to clarify the watch value compared to the value of the repairs - the latter is what any charges are calculated against.

That is fair, but not on the watch as OP made it appear in that post which I responded to.

watch3s · Jun 21, 2026

so far? 2500 in fees and storage for a sub from overseas, seemed like a good deal until the tariffs kicked in

josiahg52 · Jun 21, 2026

river rat
They are I looked it up. If the paperwork not done right, you could pay a tariff on the watch again. If done right, you pay tariff on parts and labor that's lower than paying tariff on the whole watch again. And a watchmaker might not want to deal with the extra paperwork and not except servicing your watch. Remember this tariff thing was thrown together with no plan just like the war there was no plan on the straight getting blocked and paying out of your nose for gas at the pump. So, anything that gets shipped to the states you get hit with a tariff no matter what. Had one friend who got hit 400 bucks tariff fee from a watch from Japan he would not except it and said return to sender.

It wasn't thrown together and your watch wasn't subject to "Mickey Mouse" charges. The percentages actually due and for what countries was stupidly and unnecessarily fluid and confusing. Their entire creation were ill advised and arbitrary but the actual application and calculation of was and is very straightforward. You weren't overcharged or subject to any fraud or anyone skimming off the top. You didn't understand or were unaware how duty and tariffs are calculated and were surprised at the amount due. Now you should understand how they work and you can make more inflrmed purchases from now on.

Larry S · Jun 21, 2026

I’m guessing 3-400 bucks. It was higher end UG.

river rat · Jun 21, 2026

We Americans don't like taxes just like 250 years ago we did not like tariff on tea and the supreme court said it's an illegal tax and it is micky mouse since its illegal

gatorcpa · Jun 22, 2026

river rat
We Americans don't like taxes just like 250 years ago we did not like tariff on tea and the supreme court said it's an illegal tax and it is micky mouse since its illegal

Your statement is inaccurate on two counts:

1. Americans don’t like taxation without representation. It’s right there on the license plates in Washington, DC. Their votes for president don’t count, but yours does (unless you live in DC, Puerto Rico or another U.S. territory). If you don’t like it, vote the bums out when you can over the next 2 years. Better yet, start convincing our fellow Americans to do the same.

2. The Supreme Court did not rule tariffs illegal. In fact, tariffs were the main source of revenue for our federal government until the federal income tax came along in 1913. What they did rule illegal was the arbitrary and capricious tariffs for political purposes, enacted by whim of the executive branch. Unfortunately, only those importers with enough money to hire top attorneys can afford to apply for tariff refunds under this ruling.

I don’t like this situation any more than you do, but I’m going to do my part to change it. Will you?
gatorcpa

Archer · Jun 22, 2026

gatorcpa
Unfortunately, only those importers with enough money to hire top attorneys can afford to apply for tariff refunds under this ruling.

Many were in a financial position that forced them to sell their potential refunds to others at a huge discount. Looking into who bought those refunds should tell you what this is really all about...

river rat · Jun 22, 2026

See I am not a rich person also retired on a fix income this tariff I had to pay hurt it was not hurting Cananda where the watch was shipped from it hurt the American me who had to pay it. Why would you want to hurt your own citizens by implementing a tariff on your own people and it's already tough to get by. I pay fed tax every four months, so I don't have to pay at the end of the year and that enough and we all need to pay our taxes, if you can't manage the amount of Fed taxes we all pay then have to come up with a tariff for your overspending you're not doing a very good job. Tell you can't remember the last tax refund I got they take it all sometimes have to pay.

gatorcpa · Jun 22, 2026

river rat
Why would you want to hurt your own citizens by implementing a tariff on your own people and it's already tough to get by.

Because your government doesn't care about you.

river rat
if you can't manage the amount of Fed taxes we all pay then have to come up with a tariff for your overspending you're not doing a very good job.

I agree. Which is why I will not be voting for any incumbents in the next election regardless of their party.

The time for bitching and moaning is over. We got what we got for 2 1/2 more years, then we need to do something about it.
gatorcpa

WorthlessGerman · Jul 1, 2026

Whatever your opinion on the tariffs, it looks like the watch-specific tariff may have been incorrectly applied here. The harmonized tariff schedule for 9102.21.70 has 3 suffixes - 10 is for the movement, 20 is for the case, and 30 is for the bracelet - and it looks like they only applied the most expensive part to yours.

The full 9102.21.70 reads:

Having over 17 jewels in the movement:
With strap, band or bracelet of textile material or of base metal, whether or not gold- or silver-plated
$1.53 each + 4.2% on the case + 9.8% on the strap, band or bracelet

It looks like they charged you the full 9.8% of the bracelet tariff on the entire watch. My understanding is that it should have been $1.53 for the entire watch + $46.91 (4.2% of $1117) for the case, and a relative pittance for the bracelet/band (plus the 10% on the total value of the goods that's in effect until 7/24/26).

watchyouwant · Jul 1, 2026

josiahg52
Looking at the CBP Form 7501 and the FedEx invoice, the charges appear to be correct. The watch was exported from Canada, but the country of origin is listed as Switzerland (CH), which is what determines duty and tariff treatment. Shipping from Canada does not make it a Canadian product.

The watch itself was assessed the normal 9.8% duty under HTSUS 9102.21.7030. In addition, an extra 10% tariff under HTSUS 9903.03.01 was applied. Those two rates are cumulative, which is why the total customs duty came to $221.17 on an entered value of about $1,117.

The $2.69 Merchandise Processing Fee is a government fee. The additional $30.50 Clearance Entry Fee and $15.00 Disbursement Fee are FedEx charges for acting as the customs broker and advancing the customs charges to CBP on your behalf. Those are FedEx fees, not additional tariffs.

So this wasn't a case of "it came from Canada, therefore it should only have been 10%." The paperwork shows it was a Swiss-origin watch exported from Canada, and it was assessed the normal 9.8% watch duty plus the additional 10% tariff, which is exactly what the entry summary reflects.

The duty and tariffs were calculated properly. You can complain about the FedEx charges, but they did front the money and do the work for you. You're paying them for the convenience and their time.

TLDR, duty and tariffs are based on country of origin, not necessarily the export country. Carriers who perform the customs handling and processing and pay the amount due up front on your behalf will charge for the service.

Never use the Tariff Classification for Watch again. Use Postal Service, if possible. Always declare as " Returned Repair to Owner. Broken Staff." Low Value of $ 190 and insure for extra $ 200. That gives it special Handling during Shipment. And use the Tariff for "Watch Repair Kit"; 820590 . Nobody ever took a look at it ; shipped all over the USA. Now even used for the rest of the World ... When your own Government cheats on you after the Courts did strike down the Tariff, you can do the same or Pay whatever they want .

watchyouwant · Jul 1, 2026

river rat
See I am not a rich person also retired on a fix income this tariff I had to pay hurt it was not hurting Cananda where the watch was shipped from it hurt the American me who had to pay it. Why would you want to hurt your own citizens by implementing a tariff on your own people and it's already tough to get by. I pay fed tax every four months, so I don't have to pay at the end of the year and that enough and we all need to pay our taxes, if you can't manage the amount of Fed taxes we all pay then have to come up with a tariff for your overspending you're not doing a very good job. Tell you can't remember the last tax refund I got they take it all sometimes have to pay.

Your Government was voted in TWICE and implemented Tax Breaks ; unfortunately mostly for the wrong People.