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It sounds easy enough, most overseas websites are offering you the convenient option of viewing and paying in Australian Dollars and quite often also offering Free Shipping and Returns!, plus It makes sense to shop around, we all do it, no one wants to pay more than they should.
Import Tax – Duty Estimates & Calculator are listed below ↓
Sounds and looks too good? especially when you are seeing Natural Diamonds and Lab Grown Diamonds or Rings on overseas websites like Blue Nile , Brilliant Earth , James Allen , Brian Gavin , Whiteflash , 77 Diamonds Ritani etc etc at what appears great value and sometimes better than Australian websites. Well it often is too good to be true, there are hidden costs and lots of unknowns associated with importing and returning your Diamonds and Ring.
You have found our page because you were searching for what it’s really going to cost you to actually bring a diamond and/or ring into Australia. Why did we write this article? well, we see and hear from newly engaged couples that have purchased rings from overseas and need them resized, a stone is loose and just some reassurance that they haven’t been ripped off. It’s never nice to tell someone we would have saved them time and money.
I’ve look into the up’s and downs of importing your Diamonds, Moissanites or Jewellery into Australia, and i’ve included a few helpful links if you are certain that’s the way to go.
Even if you don’t read any further please check the two most important things many buyers don’t take into account;
1) On the website you are looking at, is the GST (10%) included? any Diamond or article of jewellery imported into Australia is subject to our 10% GST. See the below image from Brilliant Earth.com, at least they fully disclose that tax’s are not included. “see below for James Allen and Blue Nile Tax & Duty Estimator”
2) Loose Diamonds & Gemstones only incur the 10% GST, However an article of Jewellery, eg; Engagement ring, pendant will incur an extra 5% Import Duty. So a total of 15% on top for a finished ring.
3) The Australian Dollar price indicated on these websites is an ESTIMATE! When you pay for your Diamond or Ring you will usually be charged in US, UK or Euro’s depending on the sellers location. Even if you are paying in Australian Dollars, what exchange rate are these websites offering you? They don’t say!…..Your Bank or Building Society in Australia ultimately dictates what rate you get on the day and charged accordingly. No where on the Brilliant Earth website shows me what the actual Exchange rate from USD to AUD is?
We all have heard of them, and most of know that we need them to help enforce our laws and protect our Flora and Fauna from items entering Australia that may or will damage our way of life. The Australian Customs office works closely with the Australian Border Force, The Department of Agriculture, Water & the Environment, and the Federal Police to help enforce our laws.
So let’s look at what’s involved in getting your Diamond or Ring into the Country and shipped to your house.
We at Me Jewellery will try to be the most price competitive as we can be, but sometimes Diamonds, rings and Jewellery are being sold at below cost by other Jewellers and Merchants. This usually only happens rarely and is because certain items may now be classed as ‘dead stock’ it hasn’t sold so businesses move it on and free up some capital money for the business. Check the Diamond report/Certificate date, if your diamond was certified over 3-4 years ago, one has to ask, why hasn’t it been sold yet? Sometimes a bargain might be too good to be true!
If you are still deciding whether to purchase your Diamond, Ring or Jewellery oversea’s then these FAQ’s below & links may help you work out some other costs.
This link will take you to James Allen's Customer Service page - To get their Tax/Duty estimate you need to click the link at the bottom of the page.
"TAX & DUTY CALCULATOR" circled in red.
This link will take you to BlueNile's, International Policies page.
At the time of writing they don't appear to have a calculator at this time.
*Please note: Me Jewellery has listed these links in good faith to educate & inform you of what the costs are to import a loose Diamond or Engagement Ring. We do not take any responsibility for the information they have provided.
*Images: The images used-depicted on this page are borrowed from the websites indicated and are not associated with Me Jewellery. We are using these images as ‘Fair Use’ and will remove them if requested to do so.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_use
The Australian Border Force / Customs requires an N10 form for Formal Entry into Australia. You should find that most oversea’s jewellers will have this filled out for you with their Air Way Bill when they schedule your import.
The fee’s however are the purchasers responsibility.
This is the Link: N10 Customs
Duty Checker: Australian Government – Free Trade Portal Website
GST Calculator: Calculate your GST & Duty
BlueNile.Com Tax Information: https://www.bluenile.com/au/policies/international
Other Links
https://www.agriculture.gov.au/import/arrival/clearance-inspection/documentary-requirements
https://www.abf.gov.au/help-and-support-subsite/CustomsNotices/2015-44.pdf
https://www.abf.gov.au/imports/Pages/How-to-import/Import-declarations.aspx90
Our lab diamond return policy offers you a 30 day money back guarantee and 45 day full exchange on all loose diamonds.
We do this to provide you with a truly risk-free purchase experience. If you need to return a stone for a any reason,
simply return it within the time frame for a full refund or exchange. For the refund or exchange to be processed,
the stones must be the same stone that you received, in perfect condition (no chips or scratches or any damage),
and with the original certificates that were given to you.
(Australian Based Diamonds only)
What happens when Customs or the Courier phone and say you owe this much $$$ before the article is released. If you anticipated it then all good, but you may get bill shock. Not quite right or what you thought? The big online Diamond retailers say they offer returns, but at whose costs? Check their fine print on returns. Almost all of these big online sellers expect you to pay the Return Costs and Insurance Cover for oversea’s transactions. Plus, you will NOT be entitled to any GST, Duty or DOA fee refunds from the Australian Customs Border Force or The Department of Agriculture. Associated costs in Australia are all your responsibility. IN and OUT.
James Allen.com clearly state (below) that you only pay a fee of $50 (US) to return your ring or diamond. Which isn’t too bad really for an international shipment with insurance, but there is no mention of refunding the GST and Duty if it’s a finished jewellery item.
This is a true story, we had a client who asked us about comparing these two Natural Diamonds. We had a déjà vu moment when flicking from one page to another. Both diamond images are from a major leading Diamond Jeweller in the USA, They were comparing prices, and hadn’t even noticed that the diamond images were Identical.
Many other diamonds on their website appear to show the actual diamond, but when we are presented with these two diamonds, which one is real or are neither of them? it does make you think twice, especially when we are trying to compare diamonds against diamonds not ‘apples for apples’. Of course we are looking at their Cut, Colour, Clarity and Carat weight but we all like to see what we are getting. Diamond reports don’t show everything. We managed to find him a fantastic Cushion Cut Mined Diamond, images are posted on our Instagram Page.
We take the hassle out of trying to import a Diamond or Jewellery from oversea’s. You don’t need to fill out any Customs forms, there are no hidden or unforeseen costs. It’s hard enough learning about diamonds and what to look for. With Mark being a qualified Gemologist, he can show you or tell you what to look for when selecting a diamond, whether it’s using an ASET Tool or an Ideal Scope (Diamond Symmetry Viewer) or just explaining in detail about the 4C’s.
Don’t live nearby?, we will guarantee that your Diamond is exactly what you payed before we ship it to you.
Buying in Australia supports us all
ME Jewellery Design Pty Ltd
We offer a private, no pressure personalised service. Whether it’s creating your Perfect Natural or Lab Grown Diamond Ring, designing a Bespoke piece by hand selecting your own Diamond or repairing and restoring a beloved jewel, we will take care of everything.
