- Maui
- By appointment
- Same-day payment
How the insured leg actually works. Standard FedEx and UPS coverage to $50,000. Supplemental for higher-value pieces. Chain of custody end to end. Tracking shared at drop-off. No cost to you either way.
Orientation before the deep-dive.
We send a prepaid label. Drop the package at any FedEx or UPS location or arrange a home pickup. Full declared value insured end to end. Standard coverage $50,000, supplemental above that. Domestic transit 2 to 3 business days depending on origin. Tracking shared with you the moment the courier scans the package.
The coverage side, in detail. Matters most for the higher-value segment.
Standard FedEx and UPS insurance covers up to $50,000 per package. That covers most of the watches we buy. Both carriers apply the same $50,000 default limit on high-value declared shipments, and both have specific handling protocols for packages declared above $1,000.
For pieces above $50,000, we add supplemental insurance through a third-party carrier so the whole declared value is covered end to end. You tell us the declared value when we send the shipping label. Coverage matches. There is no cost to you for either the standard insurance or the supplemental.
The declared value conversation matters up front because coverage is set against the indicative offer, not the firm offer. If something happens in transit, you are covered for the full value we were prepared to pay, regardless of what the firm would have been after authentication. That is the point of setting the declared value against the indicative rather than a market estimate.
Two numbers, both real. Here is the difference.
The courier scans the package the moment you hand it over. Tracking number is shared with you immediately by text or email. From this point, the package is in the courier’s controlled system, insured, and visible on the tracking page.
Package spends the night in the courier’s controlled facility. Secured, monitored, insured. FedEx and UPS both have specific handling protocols for high-value declared packages, which include separate storage and additional physical security.
Next morning, in transit. Multiple handoff scans through the courier network (usually 3 to 5 scans between origin and destination). Every scan is time-stamped and visible on the tracking page. If a scan is delayed, we notify you within the hour.
Package signed for by a named team member at the Maui office. Signature captured by the courier. We confirm receipt to you by text or email within the hour of arrival. From this point, the watch is in our secure room, in our care, insured until you accept or refuse the firm offer.
Nobody wants this conversation, but here is exactly what happens.
We file the insurance claim against the carrier on your behalf. You do not file. You are made whole against the agreed declared value, not the offer amount, not the market estimate: the full number we set against the indicative.
Typically 5 to 15 business days depending on the carrier and the specifics of the incident. Damage claims usually resolve faster than loss claims. Contested claims take longer, but in our experience the standard carrier claim process is straightforward when the shipment was properly declared and packaged.
You are informed immediately, we shoulder the paperwork, and if the claim is disputed we escalate through our carrier relationship. In 20 years of shipping watches, we have had a small number of damage claims and one loss. All of them resolved against the seller within the declared value coverage.
Alternative to driving to a courier.
For sellers who would rather not drive to a courier, home pickup is arranged with FedEx or UPS. Same insurance, same tracking, same coverage. Slightly longer window on drop-off day because the courier arrives during their normal route, usually within a 4-hour window (you choose the day, they choose the specific hour).
Useful for higher-value pieces (avoids carrying $50,000 in a car), for sellers in traffic-heavy areas (Miami, LA, Bay Area, Manhattan), or for sellers who cannot spare an hour to drop off in person. No additional cost for home pickup on our side; the courier’s pickup service is included in the label we send.
How this works for sellers outside the US.
Customs documentation is prepared by us. Duty and clearance are handled at the destination. Timing adds 2 to 5 business days for customs, sometimes longer for particularly regulated corridors (Argentina, Brazil, certain Middle Eastern countries).
Supplemental insurance for higher-value pieces works the same way as domestic. Some destinations may require additional documentation on your side: proof of origin, export license, or specific tax forms. If your destination is one of those, we tell you in advance and walk through what you need to provide.
International sellers who prefer to avoid the customs process often choose to visit our Maui office in person on their way through, or ship via a US-based intermediary. Both options work. Ask us at intake and we can recommend the cleanest path for your specific origin and destination.
Concrete numbers so you can plan.
Same-island Hawaii (Maui drop-off): 1 to 2 business days. Inter-island Hawaii (Maui, Big Island, Kauai): 2 to 3 business days. West Coast mainland (LA, San Diego, Bay Area, Seattle): 2 to 3 business days. East Coast (NY, DC, Boston): 3 business days. Miami: 3 business days. International: 3 to 8 business days depending on destination and customs.
Timelines assume the package is dropped off before the courier’s cutoff time on the drop-off day. Late drop-offs push the transit by one business day. Delivery to the Maui office is signature-required, so the package will not be left at the door if we are not available; the courier holds it for the next attempt or for pickup at their facility.
Practical tips that reduce damage on arrival and speed authentication.
Use the original box if you have it. It protects the watch better than any aftermarket packaging, and it helps our authentication team spot the piece as complete. Watches that arrive in their original packaging clear authentication slightly faster.
If you do not have the original box, wrap the watch in soft cloth (microfiber or similar) and place it in a padded shipping box with at least 2 inches of packing material on all sides. Foam, bubble wrap, or crumpled paper all work as packing material. Do not use loose packing peanuts; they shift in transit and let the watch move.
Do not include the original papers, warranty card, or service records in the same package as the watch. Send papers in a separate envelope, or bring them to the Maui office at an appointment. This is a common insurance recommendation: papers and watch in separate packages means one loss does not become two.
We notify you within the hour of the tracking showing a delay. Most delays are weather-related or courier facility backlogs, and they resolve within 24 to 48 hours. We do not consider a delay a loss until the carrier does; typically 15 to 30 days without movement.
All our shipments require signature. If nobody is available at the destination on the delivery attempt, the package is held at the courier facility for pickup or returned for a second delivery attempt. Either option is safe.
We prefer to send the label ourselves so the insurance is booked correctly against the declared value and so we control the chain of custody. If you have a specific reason to use your own account, ask, and we can discuss options.
We photograph the package on arrival before opening. If the outer seal is broken or the box shows signs of tampering, we contact you before opening and start the carrier claim process immediately. Video documentation of the opening protects both parties.
Yes. See Section 8 for the international-specific details. Customs adds 2 to 5 business days on top of the transit.
The declared value should match the indicative offer. Insuring for substantially more than that would raise questions with the carrier and slow claims. If you have a specific reason to want higher coverage (a piece with sentimental value substantially above market, for example), tell us and we work out the best approach.
We encourage it. Send the papers in a separate envelope by regular mail or courier. That way one loss does not become two. Bring papers to a Maui appointment if you are visiting in person.
Get an indicative offer today. Prepaid insured label follows once you accept.
