Buying From James Allen, Blue Nile or Brilliant Earth in Australia: Shipping, GST and Returns

Yes for Blue Nile and Brilliant Earth, which both ship to Australia and show prices in Australian dollars. James Allen no longer runs its own shop: Signet Jewelers, which owns both James Allen and Blue Nile, announced in March 2026 that it would close jamesallen.com and turn James Allen into a collection sold on Blue Nile, and on 17 September 2026 jamesallen.com redirected to Blue Nile. If you want a James Allen ring now, you buy it through Blue Nile's James Allen collection under Blue Nile's policies.

The costs that catch Australian buyers out are not on the product page. Almost every engagement ring is worth more than A$1,000, so it is taxed as an import when it lands: 10% GST, possibly customs duty, and a processing charge at the border. How each retailer handles that, and what it costs to send a ring back to the United States, is where they differ.

This is what each retailer's own policy pages said on 17 September 2026. Policies change, so check them again before you order.

Sources: Blue Nile's international policy, shipping policy, international shipping agreement, returns, resizing and warranty pages, and Brilliant Earth's Australian shipping, international shipping and returns and resizing pages.

Yes. For goods worth more than A$1,000, the Australian Border Force says you lodge an import declaration and pay duties, taxes and a processing charge at the border. Goods worth A$1,000 or less are different: GST is usually charged by the overseas seller at checkout instead, but that threshold rarely applies to an engagement ring.

The GST is 10%, and the Australian Taxation Office says it is calculated on the value of the taxable importation, which adds the customs value of the ring, any customs duty, and the cost of transport and insurance to Australia. So the GST can come out a little higher than 10% of the price you paid.

As a rough example, for a ring priced at A$5,000 with free shipping, GST is about A$500 before transport and insurance values are added, plus the border processing charge. If customs duty applies as well, it is added first and GST is charged on top of it.

On Blue Nile orders, the courier usually acts as your customs broker. Blue Nile's international shipping agreement says UPS or FedEx will ask you to authorise them, and you pay the taxes and duties to the courier before the parcel is released. Brilliant Earth's shipping page says customs duties are the customer's responsibility and that, other than GST, there are no additional import duties on Australian orders. Ask whether GST is charged at checkout or on delivery before you pay, so you are not charged twice or surprised at the door.

Sometimes. The general customs duty rate for jewellery of gold, platinum or other precious metal is 5%, under heading 7113 of the Australian customs tariff. Blue Nile's shipping agreement says duty can be avoided on goods covered by a United States free trade agreement and lists Australia among those countries, and Brilliant Earth says no duty beyond GST applies to its Australian orders. Whether a particular ring qualifies depends on where it and its stone were made, so ask the retailer for the country of origin if duty matters to your budget.

It depends on the retailer, and on Blue Nile it is not clear. Blue Nile's international policy says international customers pay return shipping, while its free returns page says international customers are emailed a return airway bill and that each customer gets two complimentary returns a year. Get the return cost confirmed in writing before you order.

Both retailers exclude resized and custom pieces from returns, Blue Nile also excludes engraved pieces, and Brilliant Earth charges AU$63 to remove an engraving before a return. Both count the 30 days from when the order ships or is ready to ship, not from when it reaches you. With international transit taking up to a week, that leaves less time than it sounds.

The larger cost is the tax you already paid. Blue Nile says duties and taxes paid at import are not refunded, because the customs authority keeps them, and the Australian Border Force says customs duty is not refunded when you return goods because you changed your mind or they do not fit, although a duty drawback may be possible under certain conditions.

The ring has to go back to the United States. Both retailers offer a free resize in the first year within limits, and Brilliant Earth makes its rings in US sizes, but each trip crosses the border twice. Blue Nile's shipping agreement warns that you may pay taxes and duties again every time the ring re-enters Australia, assessed on the ring's value rather than the cost of the service, and suggests a local jeweller may be the easier option. Its warranty covers manufacturing defects, but shipping is your cost.

Brilliant Earth covers shipping both ways on resizes, but says completed repairs and resizes must be shipped back to the country the ring was bought in. Its lifetime diamond upgrade program is not available on orders shipped outside the United States, except Canada.

Keep in mind that a local jeweller may decline to resize or repair a ring bought elsewhere, and doing so can void the original warranty. Blue Nile's warranty is void if anyone other than Blue Nile repairs or alters the ring.

Yes, if they sell directly to you in Australia. The ACCC says an overseas business that provides goods directly to consumers in Australia must follow the Australian Consumer Law, including the consumer guarantees. It also warns that in practice it can be hard to get a repair, replacement or refund from an overseas business. You are not covered if you have the ring sent to an overseas address first and forwarded to Australia.

• Confirm the ring's price in Australian dollars and whether GST is charged at checkout or on delivery.
• Budget for 10% GST on the full value plus transport and insurance, a border processing charge, and possibly 5% duty.
• Get the cost of return shipping from Australia confirmed in writing.
• Allow for international transit inside the 30-day return window, which starts before the ring reaches you.
• Convert your ring size to a US size if the site asks for one, and check the resize range for the design.
• Plan for resizes and repairs: who pays shipping each way, and whether taxes apply again.
• Keep the invoice, grading report and customs paperwork together for insurance.

Is Blue Nile or Brilliant Earth cheaper for Australians?

It depends on the ring, the exchange rate and what you pay at the border. Compare the landed cost, meaning the Australian dollar price plus GST, any duty and the border processing charge, against an Australian jeweller's price, which already includes GST.

Does James Allen still sell engagement rings?

Yes, but only as a collection on Blue Nile. Signet announced it would close the standalone James Allen website, and on 17 September 2026 jamesallen.com redirected to Blue Nile, so Blue Nile's shipping, returns and warranty policies apply.

How long does delivery to Australia take?

Blue Nile says most international orders arrive three to five business days after shipping, including customs processing. Brilliant Earth makes most pieces to order, so the delivery date depends on the item and is confirmed when you order.

Will customs open or hold my ring?

It can. Both retailers say customs processing can delay international orders, and Blue Nile notes that if a parcel is held, the courier usually handles the clearance once you pay the taxes and duties. A delivery requiring a signature also means someone needs to be home.

Thanks for reading, Jared and Brie