The Delhi High Court has ruled that a single Rolex watch does not qualify as a commercial quantity, clearing the way for a Dubai resident to reclaim his detained luxury watch from Delhi Customs after paying a redemption fine.

Court Says One Rolex Watch Is for Personal Use, Not Commercial

A division bench of Justices Pratibha M Singh and Sahil Jain delivered the judgment while hearing a petition against an order issued by the Commissioner of Customs, IGI Airport. The customs officials had detained the Rolex watch during the passenger’s arrival in India, alleging non-declaration.

The court observed that while customs authorities had permitted redemption of the detained item, their conclusion that a single Rolex watch was “commercial quantity” was incorrect. The bench made it clear that such a luxury watch can be considered a personal belonging, not a commercial good.

“One Rolex watch cannot be held to be a commercial quantity, and there is no reason why it cannot be kept for personal use,” the bench noted.

Petitioner Challenged Customs Decision

The Dubai-based petitioner had approached the High Court after his watch was seized upon arrival at IGI Airport. He argued that a single high-value watch was clearly meant for personal use and should not have been classified as commercial goods.

The petitioner also requested the court to permit redemption of the Rolex without further dispute, while agreeing to pay the imposed fine.

Court Allows Redemption Before October 31

In its ruling, the court emphasized the need for careful adjudication in similar cases involving personal luxury items. It directed the petitioner to pay the redemption fine by October 31 and reclaim the detained Rolex watch as per the original order issued by customs.

This judgment sets a significant precedent for travellers bringing personal luxury goods into India, especially high-end watches and accessories, clarifying that personal use items cannot be automatically treated as commercial imports.