First off, forget about getting a straight-up discount on a brand new Rolex. Those things are like gold dust, practically. Dealers rarely, if ever, budge on price. Demand is just too freakin’ high. But tax-free? That’s where the magic can happen, kinda.
The basic idea is this: you’re a tourist (or, y’know, a temporary resident) buying something in a country where you *don’t* pay taxes. Think of it like, you’re just borrowin’ the country for a little bit, not contributing to the social security and stuff, so you get a little break. Boom, tax refund time!
Italy, for example. Looks like you can buy watches there and get a VAT (Value Added Tax) refund. It’s that “tax-free shopping” thingy. Basically, you buy the watch, they charge you the full price *including* the VAT (which is sales tax), and then you claim that VAT back when you leave the country. Sounds simple in theory, right? There’s usually a minimum spend, so don’t go buying some cheap watch expecting to get money back. I think it is around 155 euro in Italy.
Now, the *easiest* way to do this seems to be if you’re outside the European Union (EU). Apparently, some places (like Gassan Schiphol, but… *kinda*) let you buy new watches tax-free directly. They just deduct the VAT right away at the point of sale. So, no messing around with refund forms later.
But here’s the kicker. I am not sure if Gassan Schiphol does tax free Rolex. It said that Gassan Schiphol excludes Rolex, Patek Philippe and TUDOR from the service. So, double check this if you are going there.
And, by the way, if you are thinking about pre-owned Rolex, it seems that it could be difficult to get tax-free, although I am not 100% sure.
Now, don’t get me started on buying a Rolex in the US. You’re stuck paying whatever local or state tax they slap on it. So, if you are thinking about traveling to the US to buy a Rolex, it may not be the best idea.
