Tips for taking jewelry along and Customs?

[jrzebird]

In the 80's I traveled a lot, usually coming through New York when I got back to the USA. I was only stopped once, for jewelry or anything. I was traveling from Hong Kong to Hawaii and when we got to Hawaii (by plane), Customs went through every piece of jewelry I had, which was a lot, (because I had brought it all with me, as we were on an around the world trip). I had no proofs of purchase, and had a ticket that, in the end, brought me to my home in New Jersey and then back to the Middle East where I was living at the time. In addition to my own jewelry, which I carried in a couple rolled bags, I had one box that a friend had asked me to deliver to a mutual friend in New Jersey, containing a ring. I thought nothing of it, and didn't try to hide it. It was obviously new and a gift. After asking me about 50 questions, including what my children did for a living, I was finally released from Customs, and only had to pay a small amount for the ring in the box. I think a big part was because we were not going to be staying in the USA and the jewelry was going back with me to my expat home overseas, but I also believe they know what is new and what is obviously previously owned. I still don't have receipts or appraisals for most of my stuff. But now I usually just bring good costume jewelry and the good stuff sits in the safety deposit box, waiting for my kids to own them.

[twinkletoes4445]

There is no way I could take the sales receipts for my jewelry -- many pieces were bought 50 or more years ago!!! Not many of us keep sales receipts that many years.

And no way am I going to carry all the various appraisals for insurance.

 

All my jewelry is new, so I can do this, but I can see why you couldn't. Besides, I'm just getting warmed up when it comes to getting new pieces. I'm a beginner...so my pile of appraisals is probably a lot smaller than yours. :)

[giustot]

My wife takes a fair amount of jewelry on cruises and we have bought some pieces abroad. We've never had a problem with jewelry taken from home. I think the burden would be on customs to prove you bought something abroad. You don't have to prove you didn't commit a crime, they have to prove you did.

 

We always declare the value of what we buy abroad because it's just not worth the problems of getting caught. Besides, the customs allowance is high in the US Virgin Islands and the duty is relatively low.

 

Only once were we picked for a random search and it was comical. Customs didn't seem to care about the thousands of dollars in jewelry my wife had, but the officer was fascinated with a knock off Cartier watch I had bought from a street vendor in New York City. He thought I had bought a real Cartier watch in the islands and was trying to smuggle it in. Not bad for a $35 knock off.

 

After my wife and I kept telling him it was a knock off we bought in the States, he said well if it's counterfeit I might have to confiscate it. As soon as I said OK, take it, he lost interest and walked away.

 

The only tip I would offer is take whatever you want, but declare whatever you buy. Tom.

[seafun]

I appreciate all the input very much. I think the general consensus is that I'll be fine with the jewelry I plan on bringing. Thank you all for your contributions to a very interesting discussion. I feel much better now about bringing along some colorful baubles to liven up dinner conversations.

Besides, most of what I plan on bringing is what I call the "Summer Diamonds."

Because, "summer diamonds, and summer NOT!" :eek:

As a matter of fact MOST of them are not, lol. :D

If the jewelry was all real, I wouldn't be able to afford to cruise! ;)

[mamaofami]

 

The only tip I would offer is take whatever you want, but declare whatever you buy. Tom.

 

That is really the best advice.

[sail7seas]

Funny Customs story.

 

Years ago we traveled with friends to Europe. We cruised on Rotterdam for 10 days from Athens through the Med and ended in Rome. Flew home to Boston.

 

They got questioned in Customs re: what did they buy while on the ship. The Customs Official asked what they had done in Europe when he saw the list of countries visited so knew they had been on a ship.

 

They said they bought a few t-shirts and souvenirs on the ship but nothing costing over $100 total and it was declared.

 

Official dug through their carryon bag and found shipboard bill in the sum of $1,900. Ahaaa....... Says he. "You bought nothing????"

 

Friend says, 'Read the Bill'.

 

Official reads out loud, "Ocean Bar, Crows Nest Lounge, Casino Bar, Wine Bar, and Spa/Salon........". Hands the bill back, laughs and said 'You must have had a REALLY good time.".

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

All my jewelry is new, so I can do this, but I can see why you couldn't. Besides, I'm just getting warmed up when it comes to getting new pieces. I'm a beginner...so my pile of appraisals is probably a lot smaller than yours. :)

 

You'll catch up with we old people.:)

[marle7]

I don't know if it's still true (or ever was, for that matter), but it used to be said that HAL turned over to US Customs an invoice of what had been charged on board, to match against what was declared.

This would only be in the case of a ship disembarking in the US, of course.

Usually jewelry someone has had a while does not look new. It's fair to expect that women have jewelry, that they wouldn't have receipts since pieces could easily have been gifts, or may have been inherited.

Oh, and loose stones don't incur a Customs duty; set pieces do.

 

That would be interesting if they did that. I wonder what privacy laws would have to say about it! And why only for US Customs? I'd say that isn't fair to US citizens and might even be discriminatory.

 

I'm quite sure that a ship has never turned anything over to Canadian customs that we've been on, and I'd probably raise hell if they did.

[sail7seas]

That would be interesting if they did that. I wonder what privacy laws would have to say about it! And why only for US Customs? I'd say that isn't fair to US citizens and might even be discriminatory.

 

I'm quite sure that a ship has never turned anything over to Canadian customs that we've been on, and I'd probably raise hell if they did.

 

 

Is there some way you would know what information any cruise ship may or may not give to Canadian Officials?

[marle7]

Is there some way you would know what information any cruise ship may or may not give to Canadian Officials?

 

Yes. But I have no intention of posting why on a public chat board.

 

And wouldn't such a thing just make people shop in the ports rather than on board? Don't get me wrong. We pretty much declare what we buy, but for me, it's the principle here. A cruise line has no business giving out what I spend on board to Customs or anyone else.

 

Come to think of it, I know someone who works in Canadian Customs at the airport. I must remember to ask him about this!

[giustot]

I have been on two Princess cruises where I have purchased jewelry worth more than $800 on the ship. In both cases I had to report to customs on the ship the morning we arrived back in the US. They had a list of all the names and cabin numbers of passengers whose onboard purchases might have made them subject to customs. Right or wrong, it happens.

 

That being said, the duty is so low it's probably not even worth their time to collect it from most people. If I remember correctly, if you make the bulk of your purchases in the US Virgin Islands your exemption is $1200 per person. So each couple starts with $2400. Your kids and family members are also worth $1200 each and can be combined with you. Once you go over the limit, the duty is only 1-3% up to a certain amount.

 

I think you'd have to purchase more than $10,000 (and some people do) to owe any substantial duty. Tom.

[twinkletoes4445]

You'll catch up with we old people.:)

 

LOL...I'll tell that to hubby! He won't sleep a wink tonight. :) That's a good one, KK. It's always nice to end the day with a smile...and your post gave it to me today. Have a good night! :)

[azalice]

You are safer with the costume stuff. And much of it looks like the real stuff.

[Ontario Cruiser]

I agree with bringing costume jewellery. I leave my good jewellery at home especially rings. Actually I leave it with a family member. Not that I have that much. I spend all our money on travel.

Ontario cruiser

[Randyk47]

I won't say we worried about it but we certainly have thought about taking my wife's jewelery on our cruises. Most of her pieces are things we've bought cruising so they have memories attached to them. Leaving them at home doesn't make sense so we just bring them along. I guess we could get hassled but it's never happened and we're very careful to claim new purchases....though those have dropped as "bargains" are harder to find than years ago.

[Snook]

[B][COLOR=#3366ff][SIZE=3][FONT=Arial]Play it safe and register your items with Customs. When you do they give you a CF 4457 listing the items and their description with serial numbers if the items have one. This goes for all of your foreign made items, cameras, binoculars, etc. Then you don’t have to worry about proving to the Customs Officer that you did not purchase the items on the current trip. Just take the items to your local Customs office and have them registered. There are Customs offices in all major cities, all international airports, and all Ports of Entry. Check the Customs & Border Protection web site for locations.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR][/B]
[B][COLOR=#3366ff][FONT=Arial][SIZE=3] [/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/B]