Shopping in Mexico

[nutshell]

I just wrapped up a 7-day cruise on the Fantasy a week ago. I'm kicking myself for not buying a beautiful watch in Tortola. Would have been duty free/tax free, and the seller was giving me a great deal. Alas, I didn't pull the trigger. My next cruise will most likely be a 5 to 7-night cruise in Mexico. Does anyone know if the jewelers and watch dealers in the Mexican ports sell luxury watches duty free/tax free (like they do in the Caribbean)? Thanks!

 

[hrhdhd]

There are some jewelry stores in Mexico, but not a lot of high-end stuff. And remember, "duty-free" doesn't mean that you don't have to pay duty if your purchase exceeds the allowed limit; it means that the store didn't have to pay duty.

 

[71 Truck]

I just wrapped up a 7-day cruise on the Fantasy a week ago. I'm kicking myself for not buying a beautiful watch in Tortola. Would have been duty free/tax free, and the seller was giving me a great deal. Alas, I didn't pull the trigger. My next cruise will most likely be a 5 to 7-night cruise in Mexico. Does anyone know if the jewelers and watch dealers in the Mexican ports sell luxury watches duty free/tax free (like they do in the Caribbean)? Thanks!

What cruise would you be doing? If it is a Disney Western Caribbean or any other cruise lines withe with stops in Cozumel,the Cayman Islands and Falmouth Jamaica then yes depending on what watch you are looking for.

My wife and I have gotten some really good deals on watches we have purchased while on both Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises.
What watch brand are you looking for?
You can go to the website of most watch manufacturers and check for authorized dealers in the ports you are going to stop at.

Not every dealer is as willing to deal. You need to know the MSRP of the watch you looking at. My wife and I were just on a Disney Eastern Caribbean cruise this month. When we were in Tortola no one would deal on a watch I was looking at, So I walked away. I actually could have gotten a better deal back home in the US.
When we were in St Thomas one dealer was trying to tell me he was giving me 15% off which to me was not a deal and in reality it was only 5% off MSRP. I also walked away from this one.

In the past we have done better getting deals on Western Caribbean cruises.

In the end I ended up buying a watch while on the ship. They can not do deals on the ship however the watch i bought is very very hard to find back home. In the end I did save a little over 5% over US MSRP due to it being duty free and did not have to pay sales tax.

The one thing you have to know is that the customs exemption when you return to the US can be different depending on where you cruise. That is if you are a US citizen. If not a US citizen it will depend where you live as to what customs may be.

Also, if you are a US citizen, there are some deals in the US. Yes, you will pay sales tax, but depending on the watch you can find deals close to and sometimes better than the duty free prices in the Caribbean from a very reputable dealers. You just have to do your research.

If you don't mind sharing what you passed up; I might be able to point you in the right direction.

 

[Rob1872]

Totally agree with @71 Truck . You can find some diamond in the rough deals, but the global economy is leveling out old historical sources of discount purchases. Most of the 'great deals' in the Caribbean are really no more than you see at shopping mall jewelry stores where everything always seems to be on a 40% (or 60%, etc.) sale. You need to know what you think is a good value BEFORE you cruise, so you don't get influenced by perceived 'sales'. There are a lot more threads on this board about people coming back from a cruise and finding out they seriously overpaid for something that was at one of the "recommended" jewelry shops than there are threads about people talking about the massive savings that they got compared to an appraisal they did for their insurance.

Good luck in finding a watch that you like. (I've got to admit that I considered a Rolex Submariner to celebrate hitting 20 years in the submarine forces, but then decided that a multi-thousand dollar watch is a little over the top for a guy who normally wears a $30 plastic digital sports watch.)

 

[nutshell]

What cruise would you be doing? If it is a Disney Western Caribbean or any other cruise lines withe with stops in Cozumel,the Cayman Islands and Falmouth Jamaica then yes depending on what watch you are looking for.

My wife and I have gotten some really good deals on watches we have purchased while on both Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises.
What watch brand are you looking for?
You can go to the website of most watch manufacturers and check for authorized dealers in the ports you are going to stop at.

Not every dealer is as willing to deal. You need to know the MSRP of the watch you looking at. My wife and I were just on a Disney Eastern Caribbean cruise this month. When we were in Tortola no one would deal on a watch I was looking at, So I walked away. I actually could have gotten a better deal back home in the US.
When we were in St Thomas one dealer was trying to tell me he was giving me 15% off which to me was not a deal and in reality it was only 5% off MSRP. I also walked away from this one.

In the past we have done better getting deals on Western Caribbean cruises.

In the end I ended up buying a watch while on the ship. They can not do deals on the ship however the watch i bought is very very hard to find back home. In the end I did save a little over 5% over US MSRP due to it being duty free and did not have to pay sales tax.

The one thing you have to know is that the customs exemption when you return to the US can be different depending on where you cruise. That is if you are a US citizen. If not a US citizen it will depend where you live as to what customs may be.

Also, if you are a US citizen, there are some deals in the US. Yes, you will pay sales tax, but depending on the watch you can find deals close to and sometimes better than the duty free prices in the Caribbean from a very reputable dealers. You just have to do your research.

If you don't mind sharing what you passed up; I might be able to point you in the right direction.

Thanks for your post. My next cruise will be Mexican Riviera, so I’d be one Cabo San Lucas.

Admittedly I’m new to the watch scene, but am very interested in starting a collection. The watch I saw on Tortola was a Bremont Boeing. Sunny, the watch sales manager, offered it for $4,750. That’s lower than anywhere else I’ve looked.

I’m also interested in an Omega Speedmaster, either racing or grey side of the moon.

I’m also falling for the Tag Heuer Monaco Calibre 11.

 

[71 Truck]

Thanks for your post. My next cruise will be Mexican Riviera, so I’d be one Cabo San Lucas.

Admittedly I’m new to the watch scene, but am very interested in starting a collection. The watch I saw on Tortola was a Bremont Boeing. Sunny, the watch sales manager, offered it for $4,750. That’s lower than anywhere else I’ve looked.

I’m also interested in an Omega Speedmaster, either racing or grey side of the moon.

I’m also falling for the Tag Heuer Monaco Calibre 11.

Welcome to the wonderful world of watch collecting. There are a lot of great watch forums to join that are full of great information.
The Bremont is a great choice. I was looking at the MBll but found it to lite for my taste. If you looked at the Boeing at Diamonds International in Tortola they may also have a location in Cabo San Lucas. I would try to contact them before you go on your next cruise to see if they have the watch you are looking for and see if they will honor the price you revived from Sunny in Tortola.

The Omega Speedmasters you mentioned are also great watches however I am not sure how available they may be. I would reach out to the authorized dealer for Omega at the ports you are visiting to check availability. You may also have a hard time getting as good of a deal as the Bremont. It never hurts to try to negotiate with the dealers and be willing to walk out if you feel you did not get the best price. If they chase you out the door they can do better, if not that is the best price they are willing to give you.
The most important thing to do is have an idea what a watch might cost back home so you know if you are truly getting a good deal.

I have not done much research on the Tag Heuer line of watches however the the Monaco is known as the watch worn by Steve McQueen.
Good luck and let us know how you do.

 

[MillauFr]

Can't you get the same watch in the US for a similar price? Best tax free shopping in the Pacific NW is going to the Portland, OR Costco. They sell tons of high end jewelry/watches/electronics all tax free. I don't think they can even get people to buy an TVs in the Vancouver, WA Costco because they charge sales tax.

 

[nutshell]

Can't you get the same watch in the US for a similar price? Best tax free shopping in the Pacific NW is going to the Portland, OR Costco. They sell tons of high end jewelry/watches/electronics all tax free. I don't think they can even get people to buy an TVs in the Vancouver, WA Costco because they charge sales tax.

Just checked Costco's website. They don't have Tag Heuer, and the stuff they do have seems to be the leftover models most people aren't interested in. Good idea though. I'm from the Portland/Vancouver area so am very familiar with the no sales tax in Oregon.