What's the safest way to carry watches with you when air travel?

Question

A friend of mine asked me to buy 3 watches, 1 wrist watch and 2 athletic timers. Last time I I put a broken watch in a luggage I arrived at the destination and found that the security went through my luggage and tore the watch apart in fear of bomb I suppose. So I'm trying to figure out how to carry these watches without any hassles. Should I:

Carry them with me through the security check point. Show them the watches and let them run through the x-ray machine.

Unassmeble parts of the watches and put them in the luggage.

I don't want to be interrogated or be held at the security point for too long, and I don't want the items to be ruined. They are gifts.

What should I do?

Answer 1

Put the watches in your carry-on.

Remember to put clothes or something soft around it so it doesn't break.  

Answer 2

Never put anything of value in your check-in luggage, unless you don't want to see it again or don't mind having it damaged. Just leave them in your carry on bag and them put the bag through the x-ray machine. Any traveler that brings a watch must remove it before the metal detector and most people including myself put it in their carry on bag. I've traveled often with two watches and have never had a problem, there are no TSA restrictions regarding watches.

http://www.tsa.gov/311/index.shtm

Answer 3

out them in your carry on, liek your purse.

Answer 4

Just put them in your cabin luggage.  There's absolutely no reason why security would question you about them.

Answer 5

Mail them to yourself.  That is what I made my daughter do when she thought she was going to fill up my luggage with her souvenirs.  Wrap them up good so they don't break in the mail, take them to a post office.

Edit:  This trip I mentioned was international.  France to the US.  Mail worked fine.

Answer 6

Don't disassemble them; that's probably what caught their eye the first time.  

Just put them in your carry on baggage.  They'll be x-rayed, and it's possible they will do an additional inspection of your bag.