Diamond Purchase in Amsterdam

On Wed, 25 May 2005 18:43:19 +0200, nitram wrote:

"Honey how do you fancy USD20,000 of diamonds instead some ****
holiday visiting all 25 EU capitals in 10 days?"

Not 10 days. They are going to be in Europe for seven weeks. That's 49
days. With most of their time in Amsterdam. I guess with five or so weeks
in Amsterdam you can see every exhibit at every museum.

Don www.donwiss.com (e-mail link at home page bottom).

Don Wiss wrote:

Of course if you purchase a diamond abroad you are required to declare it
to customs when you return. And you may be liable for some duties. Now you
can try to cheat the US, but if the person that sold you the diamond
reports the sale to US customs, you end up in trouble and you may lose the
diamond.

Simple solution. Buy an unset diamond. You do not have to pay duty when
bringing loose stones of any type in the US.

Karen Selwyn

wrote:

still if you are wearing the ring, who can prove you didnt already have
it ?

You are joking? Right? Who can prove you didn't already have it? The
store that sold you the ring.

In fact, there's incentive for the store to report your purchase to US
customs. The person who identifies goods being brought into the US for
which duty is required, willl receive a reward if the purchaser fails to
declare his/her purchase. Thus the store selling the ring is
incentivized to rat on its customers. It could wins two way: in the
original sale and in the reward.

Diamonds are smuggled as a matter of fact.
High value, small, non-metallic, perfect !

I'm sure diamonds are routinely smuggled, but not when there's a paper
trail from a reputable dealer, and that's the sort of purchase the OP is
asking about.

Karen Selwyn

wrote:

still if you are wearing the ring, who can prove you didnt already have
it ?

You are joking? Right? Who can prove you didn't already have it? The
store that sold you the ring.

In fact, there's incentive for the store to report your purchase to US
customs. The person who identifies goods being brought into the US for
which duty is required, willl receive a reward if the purchaser fails to
declare his/her purchase. Thus the store selling the ring is
incentivized to rat on its customers. It could wins two way: in the
original sale and in the reward.

Diamonds are smuggled as a matter of fact.
High value, small, non-metallic, perfect !

I'm sure diamonds are routinely smuggled, but not when there's a paper
trail from a reputable dealer, and that's the sort of purchase the OP is
asking about.

Karen Selwyn

"Rita" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 25 May 2005 18:46:08 -0400, Karen Selwyn
wrote:

wrote:

still if you are wearing the ring, who can prove you didnt already have
it ?

You are joking? Right? Who can prove you didn't already have it? The
store that sold you the ring.

In fact, there's incentive for the store to report your purchase to US
customs. The person who identifies goods being brought into the US for
which duty is required, willl receive a reward if the purchaser fails to
declare his/her purchase. Thus the store selling the ring is
incentivized to rat on its customers. It could wins two way: in the
original sale and in the reward.

Diamonds are smuggled as a matter of fact.
High value, small, non-metallic, perfect !

I'm sure diamonds are routinely smuggled, but not when there's a paper
trail from a reputable dealer, and that's the sort of purchase the OP is
asking about.

Karen Selwyn

A relative got caught smuggling in a diamond ring. Fined
$1,000 and highly embarrassed. Said "never again," not
worth it.


How did they get caught ?
Surely if you post the paperwork ahead, and wear the thing......

This has been a very interesting discussion, and I thank all of those
who replied.

A point of clarification. The decision to buy the ring (or stone and
setting) is not driven by any interest in an investment. It is a symbol
of 20 years together and how much I value our relationship. She is not
at all materialistic, and it is unlikely the stone would ever be sold.
Currently she wears an antique ring, purchased from an estate sale. It
was the best I could afford at the time.

And this represents a very large purchase for us. The only reason we can
afford a trip of this length is because much of our travel will be on
behalf of my employers. I have simply managed to work some vacation time
into the schedule and we have friends in Amsterdam to help occupy my
wife's time while I am at work.

If there is some savings to be had by choosing to make the diamond
purchase in the US or Europe, I will do so. Investment is not a factor.
And explaining the politics behind the diamond industry to my wife
simply is not going to be well understood.

Again, the discussion has provided some education.



Thomas wrote:
My wife and I are celebrating 20 years together by taking a 7-week trip
in Europe. Most of our time will be spent in Amsterdam. I would like to
present her with a diamond ring.

My questions a

Would you recommend making the purchase in the US before we go or make
the purchase in Amsterdam?

I know little about diamonds. Do you have some tips on getting a fair
deal with a reputable shop?

Do you have any other tips or recommendations on this topic?

Thank You,

Karen Selwyn wrote:
wrote:

still if you are wearing the ring, who can prove you didnt already have
it ?

You are joking? Right? Who can prove you didn't already have it? The
store that sold you the ring.

never heard of that in Europe.

In fact, there's incentive for the store to report your purchase to US
customs. The person who identifies goods being brought into the US for
which duty is required, willl receive a reward if the purchaser fails to
declare his/her purchase. Thus the store selling the ring is
incentivized to rat on its customers. It could wins two way: in the
original sale and in the reward.

Diamonds are smuggled as a matter of fact.
High value, small, non-metallic, perfect !

I'm sure diamonds are routinely smuggled, but not when there's a paper
trail from a reputable dealer, and that's the sort of purchase the OP is
asking about.

not even a reputable dealer can guarantee the source of the stone.

wrote:

You are joking? Right? Who can prove you didn't already have it? The
store that sold you the ring.

never heard of that in Europe.

What's your point? That because you haven't heard of something it can't
be true?

I'm sure diamonds are routinely smuggled, but not when there's a paper
trail from a reputable dealer, and that's the sort of purchase the OP is
asking about.

not even a reputable dealer can guarantee the source of the stone.

Since the topic was duty, I wasn't considering the original source of
the stone. The OP was looking for a reputable source to purchase a
diamond for his wife, the kind of store that would document its sales.
The kind of store that could prove the stone/ring a traveler is bringing
back to the US was bought during the trip and is, potentially, dutiable.

Karen Selwyn

"Karen Selwyn" wrote in message
news:Yamle.4389$%Z2.2867@lakeread08...
wrote:

You are joking? Right? Who can prove you didn't already have it? The
store that sold you the ring.

never heard of that in Europe.

What's your point? That because you haven't heard of something it can't
be true?

I'm sure diamonds are routinely smuggled, but not when there's a paper
trail from a reputable dealer, and that's the sort of purchase the OP is
asking about.

not even a reputable dealer can guarantee the source of the stone.

Since the topic was duty, I wasn't considering the original source of
the stone. The OP was looking for a reputable source to purchase a
diamond for his wife, the kind of store that would document its sales.
The kind of store that could prove the stone/ring a traveler is bringing
back to the US was bought during the trip and is, potentially, dutiable.


But how would the customs agent guess at which store the stone was bought ?
Unless of course they have access to your CC number and transaction records.

Karen Selwyn wrote:
wrote:

You are joking? Right? Who can prove you didn't already have it? The
store that sold you the ring.

never heard of that in Europe.

What's your point? That because you haven't heard of something it can't
be true?


because I know people in the diamond industry and asked them.

I'm sure diamonds are routinely smuggled, but not when there's a paper
trail from a reputable dealer, and that's the sort of purchase the OP is
asking about.

not even a reputable dealer can guarantee the source of the stone.

Since the topic was duty, I wasn't considering the original source of
the stone. The OP was looking for a reputable source to purchase a
diamond for his wife, the kind of store that would document its sales.
The kind of store that could prove the stone/ring a traveler is bringing
back to the US was bought during the trip and is, potentially, dutiable.

you need to think outside the box.