St Maarten

[smoldr]

Does anyone have feedback on the dealer in St Maarten.
How are the prices and do they negotiate at all.

Will be there next week. I know there's no sales tax so that helps.

[superdog]

Originally Posted by smoldr

Does anyone have feedback on the dealer in St Maarten.
How are the prices and do they negotiate at all.

Will be there next week. I know there's no sales tax so that helps.

you are still required to pay sales tax upon re-entry to the US.

have a great trip!!!

[Blue_Lume]

Originally Posted by superdog

you are still required to pay sales tax upon re-entry to the US.

have a great trip!!!

...As if you're going to walk through customs and answer correctly when they ask if you have anything to declare.

But don't ask me, I'm a rebel. I also throw jury duty notices in the trash.

[Goin2drt]

Originally Posted by superdog

you are still required to pay sales tax upon re-entry to the US.

have a great trip!!!

Is this because it is a Virgin Is? I bought two Rolexes in Grand Cayman on vacation last year and I didn't pay a dime. Claimed them both, totally legit on my customs forms.

Our cruise this year takes us to St Maarten so I would also be interested in feedback on this dealer as I may purchase another.

[RaceDoc]

I have been searching this a lot. The charge is not sales tax it is customs fee. Customs at the airport subtract $800 (duty exemption) and charge 3% on the remaining price. Sometimes they even let it go.
https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=441526

Originally Posted by superdog

you are still required to pay sales tax upon re-entry to the US.

have a great trip!!!

[superdog]

Originally Posted by RaceDoc

I have been searching this a lot. The charge is not sales tax it is customs fee. Customs at the airport subtract $800 (duty exemption) and charge 3% on the remaining price. Sometimes they even let it go.
https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=441526

Yes sir. That is all true.

Thanks for the correction.

[jdpny]

I'll be there next week as well, have fun!

[nick c]

I'm going there next month enjoy your trip

[Ben.McDonald7]

I will also be there next week with my wife on our Honeymoon. If you see someone walking around with a 16710 Pepsi it's probably me.

[Cryten]

St Maartin is a big tourist trap, the only people looking for a cheap Rolexes are you and every other tourist

Just look at how many people have said they're going there in this thread alone. I wish you luck

[123Blueface]

Originally Posted by RaceDoc

I have been searching this a lot. The charge is not sales tax it is customs fee. Customs at the airport subtract $800 (duty exemption) and charge 3% on the remaining price. Sometimes they even let it go.
https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=441526

Correct. Been there, done that.
If cruising, as of last month, no longer a re-entry form to complete.

[SMD]

There is always sales tax due to your home jurisdiction. Whether you pay it or not is your decision, but it is always owed if you have a state sales tax locally.

[zacharykim]

I bought my GV Milgauss back in 2012 from Goldfinger on Front St. They had a couple options for getting it back to the states. Ultimately I chose to just wear it back to the states and had no problems at all with customs in terms of not declaring. I think they're customs agents are more focused on bigger issues with "smuggling" back into the states.


Also, check out Shivas on Front St. They have pretty much every other brand besides Rolex

[THC]

Isn't St Maarten half French and half Dutch? Maybe one side could have a better deal than the other? Lol

[Clasper]

I bought my TT Daytona there about 12 years ago but have been back since. The two shops there are owned by the same company Goldfinger. They usually have a decent selection of watches at tax and duty free rates.
There is sometimes a little bit extra discount depending on what you buy but only a little bit.
There is also another store up the street which sells a range of other nice makes, they had a good range of A. Lange & Sohne and there was definitely some discount to be had there as I nearly purchase a Saxonia. Best of luck and enjoy.
Incidentally I did price the watches in St Thomas and Nassau but found St Maarten the cheapest.

[123Blueface]

Originally Posted by SMD

There is always sales tax due to your home jurisdiction. Whether you pay it or not is your decision, but it is always owed if you have a state sales tax locally.

Is this correct? I did not have to pay any state taxes.
You are charged 3% over the allowed $800 per person, which can be combined for a family traveling together.
So a family of 5, can bring back $4,000 worth of goods and owe nada to anyone.

[scarlet knight]

If you can have dinner at a French restaurant in Grand Case while wearing your Rolex, you will be in hedonist heaven!

[SMD]

Originally Posted by 123Blueface

Is this correct? I did not have to pay any state taxes.
You are charged 3% over the allowed $800 per person, which can be combined for a family traveling together.
So a family of 5, can bring back $4,000 worth of goods and owe nada to anyone.

These are two separate issues. What you are referring to are Federal exemptions from paying import duties. That is completely independent of State taxes.

http://floridarevenue.com/taxes/Pages/consumer.aspx

[123Blueface]

Originally Posted by SMD

These are two separate issues. What you are referring to are Federal exemptions from paying import duties. That is completely independent of State taxes.

http://floridarevenue.com/taxes/Pages/consumer.aspx

Oops.

For the record, I was speaking purely hypothetically, in the event I would ever do that.

[ejvette]

Bought a Rolex some 20+ years ago in St. Thomas A.H. Rise & Co. Wore the watch out of the store and they shipped the box and receipt to my house

[SMD]

Originally Posted by 123Blueface

Oops.



For the record, I was speaking purely hypothetically, in the event I would ever do that.

Of course.

[Jim Smyth]

After you get your watch head over to Orient Beach and relax down on the South side past the rock wall.. Great Ocean view and I also heard you can see the moon at the same time even during the daytime.

[sierra11b]

It and some of the other islands are a GREAT way to try on a bunch of cool watches of various brands.

I almost bought a JLC moonphase and had a really fun time trying on the other brands that aren't available in my immediate area.

If you have the means to purchase then it makes the trip that much more special, but I still had a lot of fun knowing I narrowed the field and could get better deals elsewhere once the vacation ended.

[beshannon]

Originally Posted by Goin2drt

Is this because it is a Virgin Is? .

St. Maarten is a separate island containing two different countries.

The US Virgin Islands are a separate island chain that are a territory of the US.

Any duty will be calculated based on the value upon declaration when re-entering the US. There are different exemption amounts per place of purchase prior to import into the US.

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/internati...toms-duty-info