Help / advice needed please: Parcelforce have lost my item and won’t compensate

Any help / legal advice here would be most helpful.

I posted a Breitling B1 watch to the USA on 20th March 2025, thirteen days ago.
I didn’t do it using my poor judgement, I actually went into the Post Office near me.
I used Global Priority.
They asked what was in the package and I told them. It says BREITLING watch on the Customs Declaration. At NO point was I told that I couldn’t send a watch.
They charged me two payments, one for extra compensation to £1350, both circa £50, totalling £102 to send this.
To repeat, at NO point did they tell me that I couldn’t send a watch.

The online tracking saw it have three points of tracking.
Collected at Leeds Depot (my local Post Office)?
It left Leeds Depot at 1941 hours on the same day (20th).
It arrived at the National Hub (Coventry) at 0230 on 21st March.

It’s status has been frozen ever since.

I complained by phone and they give me a reference number starting MRN and said that they were doing a search and to call back in 24 hours.
I called back in 24 hours… they said to wait while I get a phone call.

I left it and then decided to put in a claim online on the 31st.
I included EVERYTHING, intial receipt of the watch, photographs of the watch, absolutely EVERYTHING.

Today I got a basic response back saying this:

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Dear Gregory

Thank you for your email.

I’m extremely sorry to hear that your parcel has not been delivered and I understand how frustrating this must be for you.

Unfortunately, we are unable to accept your claim for loss as watches are excluded from compensation for loss and damage.

For more information in regards to the items we exclude please visit our website https://www.parcelforce.com/help-and…e-compensation

If you wish for this to be investigated further please contact our delivery team by email [email protected] with your enquiry or call 0344 800 4466

If you require any further assistance, please do not hesitate to reply to this email.

Kind regards
Pat
Parcelforce Worldwide Claims Team

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Fuming!

How can the person taking the money to insure it INSURE it at a cost of £102 (all in), KNOWING what the item was and NOT telling me it was prohibited, and THEN have the company say:

"Tough. You cannot send watches they are prohibited."

It hasn’t even gone missing abroad… it’s not got out of Parcelforce’s hands!!

All advice welcome. I get that if I sent it myself and someone picked it up from my door, then it’s MY responsibility.

If the guy on the Post Office counter takes it and takes my premium postage… surely THEY are liable.

I am going to contest it… if no joy… can I got to a small claims court?

Thanks in advance everyone.

Greg.