Buying Moissanite and Lab Grown Diamond Jewellery in France

France is the most regulated of the European markets we ship to, and the reason is historical: French hallmarking law is among the oldest in the world and it was never relaxed the way Germany’s was. For a buyer that mostly means one extra consideration, not a problem.

1. TVA and douane

• TVA à l’importation — import VAT on the value of the goods including shipping and duty. Since the EU removed the low-value VAT exemption in 2021, this applies broadly regardless of value.
• Droits de douane — customs duty above the consignment value threshold, based on tariff classification and origin.
• Frais de dédouanement — the carrier’s handling charge for presenting the goods and advancing the tax. Not a tax, not refundable.

An engagement ring will normally sit above the duty threshold, so expect a formal clearance. Confirm current rates with the Douane rather than relying on any retailer’s summary, this one included.

2. The poinçon: what France requires

This is the genuine difference between France and most other markets, and it surprises people who have bought from abroad before.

France requires precious metal articles sold in France to carry an official poinçon de garantie — a state hallmark indicating fineness — alongside the maker’s or importer’s responsibility mark. The system is administered through the Bureau de Garantie, and the marks themselves are distinctive: for 18-carat gold, the traditional mark is an eagle’s head.

Practical implications for a private buyer importing a ring for personal use:

• The obligation attaches primarily to selling in France, not to owning a piece you bought abroad for yourself.
• An overseas maker’s 585 or 750 stamp is a fineness mark, not a French poinçon. They are different things.
• If you later want to sell the piece through a French professional, the absence of a poinçon may matter. Having it assayed and marked afterwards is possible.
• For insurance, a valuation from a qualified expert is what an insurer will ask for either way.

Rules here are technical and change, so if the hallmark matters to you specifically, check with the Douane or a French professional before ordering rather than after.

3. Droit de rétractation — and its limit

Under the Code de la consommation, a consumer buying at distance normally has 14 days to withdraw without giving a reason, running from receipt.

But Article L221-28 lists exceptions, including goods made to the consumer’s specifications or clearly personalised. A ring built to your chosen stone, metal, setting and finger size falls squarely inside that.

Purchase	14-day withdrawal?
Stock piece, standard size	Yes
Resized before dispatch	Likely not
Built from a CAD to your spec	No
Engraved	No
Defective or not as described	Garantie légale de conformité applies regardless

That final row matters. The withdrawal exemption removes your right to change your mind. It does not touch the garantie légale de conformité, which covers goods that do not match their description or are defective, and which a seller cannot contract out of for consumer sales.

Delivery timing to France

Ask for production and transit separately. For our work: about seven to eight days on the bench, then 10–12 days standard transit or 6–8 expedited — roughly 17–20 days door to door on standard.

Add clearance. As in Germany, the carrier will typically hold the parcel until import charges are settled, which regularly adds two to four days that no shipping estimate accounts for. And note that August is a genuinely slower month across French logistics and administration; plan around it rather than through it.

Checklist for a French buyer

1. Ask whether TVA and douane are prepaid or payable on delivery.
2. Give your ring size as circumference or diameter in millimetres, not a French number.
3. Confirm the fineness in writing: 375, 585, 750 or 925.
4. Decide whether the poinçon matters to you — it matters more for future resale than for wearing.
5. Understand that a custom ring almost certainly has no droit de rétractation, while the garantie légale still applies.
6. Get production and transit quoted separately, plus clearance.

General information about importing into France, not legal advice (ceci n’est pas un conseil juridique). Rates, thresholds and hallmarking rules change — check the Douane and, for consumer questions, the DGCCRF before relying on any of it.

Frequently asked questions