$140,000 Breguet Tourbillon Seized At YVR

I’m a watch guy and so was Mr Huang until he had his $140,000 Breguet Tourbillon seized at YVR because he didn’t declare it. Thanks to Jeff over at Vancity Buzz he was quick to cover the story which is a little unusual, but it also reminded me I need to write about watches on here more. We’ll let this guys misfortune be a lesson to other travellers coming into the country with a watch that costs that much. This is definitely your typical first world problems.

Huang originally claimed it was given to him by a friend in China as payment for an outstanding gambling debt, but then switched his story, saying his friend sold it to a pawn shop and Huang had bought it back for 7000 Hong Kong dollars ($996 CAD). But when pressed by border agents, Huang eventually came clean, admitting the watch had been used to pay off 200,000 HK$ ($28,475 CAD) he was owed for gambling.

Apparently it’s going to cost him anywhere from $34,000 – $120,000 to get this watch back due to its value, so that’s going to sting. Well that’s the price you pay wen you’re up to no good so next time you try and smuggle something think twice.