[gardiner.d]

Hello,

As many of you will notice, many watches are equipped with crocodile/gator straps. Whether they are OEM or aftermarket, it seems that they cannot be imported into Canuckistan (Canada) without the provision of a CITES certificate by the international seller. From a quick Google search, I found that offending straps may be confiscated, or may be cut at the lugs. I've also seen report of a man getting fined, but in his case, I believe he was importing a plurality of products with the intent to re-sell. I found a well priced ''grail'' watch that comes with a set of premium gator straps (seller is from France), and would like to import it for myself.

Is the above correct, or am I mistaken? I understand that there are some ''Gator farms'' in the US, but it doesn't change the reality of things :*(.

Fellow Canadians, what is your experience with importing crocodile/gator straps?

See Annex II:

Endangered species and the international traveller - Canada.ca

Are you a Canadian travelling abroad or a tourist to Canada?

www.canada.ca

 

[dfwcowboy]

It's the same thing in the US. Here's the notice I got a few days ago on my latest Camille Fournet purchase:

The manufactory just shipped yesterday your order.

Due to legal notice and regulations with exotic leathers, we always ship all US orders to our NYC office first, for a faster and effective custom clearance. In order to vigorously adhere to the CITES regulations, the house of Camille Fournet tends to all administrative processes necessary to monitor each product ( request for certificates, customs clearance, etc..) managed by each commercial subsidiary.

Please note that during this particular time this process can take 4 weeks.

Once your package arrives in the NY office, Karen or Charleen will contact you with the shipping procedures before shipping your order.

Please be assured that you will be contacted on the same day that your package arrives in the NY office. When the package arrives that it is processed the same day and the team send an email to confirm the address.

Nothing is shipped or processed until we hear from you.

 

[NMIEE]

According to that link, it looks like you're free to drive it across. Just have someone meet you in a border city haha

 

[gardiner.d]

The seller being from France, finding a border city will prove difficult! Perhaps I'll suggest a meeting on Miquelon Island, 14 miles off the coast of Newfoundland.

 

[Nokie]

Try getting anything like this into CA........

 

[dbostedo]

I understand that there are some ''Gator farms'' in the US,

FWIW, if they're gator, the skins probably came from the US. For instance, Glashutte Orginial straps all say "genuine Louisiana alligator" on the back. And after all, Europe doesn't have any native alligators or crocodiles.

 

[NMIEE]

FWIW, if they're gator, the skins probably came from the US. For instance, Glashutte Orginial straps all say "genuine Louisiana alligator" on the back. And after all, Europe doesn't have any native alligators or crocodiles.

For sure. Those things are like rats in the south. And there are gator farms everywhere cashing in. The leather for sure came from a US gator farm.

 

[gardiner.d]

If I were to buy the watch with the gator straps... AND if the package is opened by customs... what is the worst that can happen? Cutting/confiscating the straps? Confiscating the watch altogether? A fine? Sent to jail for poaching (lol)?

I'm tempted to try it.