Buying from Japan

Watch Strap CITES Import Rules: Python, Lizard, Ostrich (2026)

Watch strap CITES import rules: python, lizard and tegu need Appendix II permits; ostrich and stingray usually do not. The shipping-exemption trap explained.

2026.09.07

Buying from Japan

Crocodile-Strap Watch from Japan: CITES Import Rules (2026)

A crocodile or alligator watch strap is CITES-regulated: mailed from Japan it can be held or seized at customs. Import rules by country and how to keep your watch.

2026.09.07

Buying from Japan

Customs Declared Value on a Watch from Japan (2026)

The customs declared value for a watch from Japan is the price you paid. It sets your import duty and tax; see how FOB and CIF set it and why undervaluing backfires.

2026.09.06

Buying from Japan

How to Pay Safely for a Watch from Japan (2026)

How to pay safely for a watch from Japan: which payment methods leave a dispute route vs. ones you cannot reverse, plus the FX costs and red flags to watch for.

2026.09.06

Buying from Japan

Japanese Consumption Tax on a Watch Bought for Export (2026)

Japanese consumption tax is 10 percent, but exports are zero-rated. Learn when it applies to a watch bought from Japan and how export tax-free works (2026).

2026.09.05

Buying from Japan

Buying Grand Seiko in Japan: JDM Models and Real Cost (2026)

Buying Grand Seiko in Japan: which references are JDM-only, how the warranty and import tariff work, and how to price the real landed cost for overseas buyers.

2026.09.04

Buying from Japan

Vintage Seiko from Japan: How to Date It and Spot Redials (2026)

Vintage Seiko from Japan: date it by serial and caliber, and spot the redials and franken watches common in Japanese listings before you pay.

2026.09.04

Buying from Japan

Citizen Model Number Explained: Reading JDM Codes in 2026

Citizen model number explained for buyers of Japanese pre-owned watches: how the model code and caliber number work, and how to verify a listing before you pay.

2026.09.03

Buying from Japan

Watch Not as Described from Japan: Refund by Payment Route (2026)

A watch from Japan arrives not as described. The refund you can force depends on how you paid: chargebacks, PayPal, bank wire and proxy disputes, mapped by route.

2026.09.03

Buying from Japan

Rolex Reference Number Explained: How to Verify a Japanese Listing

The Rolex reference number explained for buyers sourcing from Japan: what each digit encodes, reference vs serial, and how to verify a pre-owned listing.

2026.09.02

Buying from Japan