Importing Watches Requires Additional Customs Documentation

You can find some fantastic watch deals while shopping online, and many suppliers reside outside the U.S. This being the case, there are a couple things you will want to know before you make your purchase and take the plunge into the world of importing. Watches are a strange bird in the world of U.S Customs classifications, and knowing just a little bit about it will make your experience with importing your new watch a little more pleasant.

Watches, like all other goods coming into the U.S., must be classified for Customs clearance. The classification codes for thousands upon thousands of goods are regulated under the Harmonized Tariff Codes of the Unites States (HTSUS). Within these codes, you will find nearly every good importable into the country. Funny thing is, with watches, there are multiple codes for each watch. The reason for this is that watches are classified by their various component parts. For example, there is a different classification for the watch band, its movement, the case, and even the battery, where applicable.

What that means to you, as the intrepid online shopper, is that, if you make your purchase from a reputable, online vendor, when your watch arrives on U.S. soil, it may require further documentation for Customs clearance.

There is a document, generally referred to as a "watch breakdown" that is used to breakdown the dollar value of the watch into its component parts. The component parts are the case, the band, and the movement. Often, the watch battery will be given a breakdown too, though obviously, if it's a wind up movement, this won't be the case. So, when your online purchase arrives into U.S. Customs jurisdiction, it will be necessary to apply a value to all three of the watch's component parts.

This isn't really a big deal for you, and often a reputable foreign watch dealer will have included that documentation along with the shipping documents they send along with your purchase. Still, if they didn't, it could result in a delay in clearance and delivery to you. If you ordered a watch as a holiday gift, that could be a little sticky. Being aware of this little quirk about watch imports will help you be prepared in the event that you experience a delay in delivery of your shipment.

Now, you can theoretically complete the watch breakdown yourself. Generally speaking, I would ask the shipper to do that, as chances are, they will be more knowledgeable regarding the true value of each part of the watch. Still, if you're in a pinch, and you have at least a reasonable knowledge of the value of your purchase, you can complete it. Just make sure that you apply reasonably accurate values to each part, and that the total value of the breakdown matches the total value of the watch itself.

One last thing, and this does not regard the watch breakdown, per se. If the value of your purchase is over approximately 200.00 USD, you may be asked to supply validation of your U.S. tax ID, that is to say, proof of your social security number. You can find out more about that at another article I've written here.

As I originally suggested, watches make great online purchases, and often you can find great online vendors outside the U.S., but if you do, knowing that they require a bit of extra documentation can save you some time and trouble.