customs

Antique Pocket Watches from Japan: Dating & Duty Rules (2026)

How to date an antique pocket watch from a Japanese listing by its movement serial, case terms like 金無垢, and the 100-year antique duty rule for the US and UK.

2026.10.09

Buying from Japan

US Import Duty on a Watch from Japan: Part-by-Part (2026)

US watch import duty from Japan, broken down by part (movement, case, bracelet, battery) and the new postal entry rules through January 2027.

2026.09.16

Buying Guide

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

Watch Held in Customs from Japan: Delays, Duty Bills, Fixes (2026)

Why a watch held in customs from Japan gets stuck: valuation queries, paperwork, the CITES strap trap, the suspended de minimis rule, and how to dispute the bill.

2026.09.06

Shipping & Import

US Watch Import Tariff from Japan: Assembly Country Decides (2026)

The US watch import tariff from Japan in 2026 follows the assembly country. Switzerland and Japan now share one rate: 12.5%, since July 2026.

2026.09.02

Buying from Japan

Shipping a Watch from Japan: EMS, Insurance & the 2 Million Yen Gap

Shipping a watch from Japan: EMS vs. couriers, Japan Post insurance caps at 2,000,000 yen, delivery times, and how to close the coverage gap on a high-value watch.

2026.09.01

Buying from Japan