As increasingly diverse couples lead the U.S. engagement recovery, Signet and De Beers are re-introducing natural diamonds to Zillennials, the newest generation of diamond engagement ring consumers in the U.S.

AKRON, Ohio, and LONDON, May 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Signet Jewelers, the world's largest retailer of diamond jewelry, whose iconic retail brands include KAY Jewelers, Zales, Jared, Diamonds Direct and Blue Nile, and De Beers Group, the world's leading diamond company, today announced a collaboration to share the unique attributes of natural diamonds with a new generation of U.S. couples, ahead of an expected 25% increase in engagements over the next three years¹.

Utilizing Signet's trusted brands, digital capabilities and extensive store network and De Beers Group's expertise in creating iconic campaigns, the collaboration will showcase the inherent rarity and timelessness of natural diamonds. A new campaign will fully roll out in the third quarter and feature online content, in-store experiences and targeted marketing messages.

Signet's proprietary research indicates that there will be an upswing in proposals and engagements amongst U.S. Zillennials over the next 36 months, following a recent lull due to a lack of couples forming during the pandemic. The engagement uptick is expected to be driven by couples from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds and the LGBTQIA+ community.

To support consumer marketing activities, training will be provided to Signet's 20,000 sales associates to help educate their customers on natural diamonds' unique attributes, including their enduring emotional and financial value and the enormous socioeconomic benefits natural diamonds help deliver for the people and places where they are discovered. Natural diamond visual merchandising will also be revamped and refreshed within Signet's banners to appeal to pre-engagement consumers.

"Natural diamonds are the perfect symbols to celebrate life's most meaningful moments – they are as unique, timeless, rare and precious as the emotions they represent," said De Beers Group CEO Al Cook. "We now have the opportunity to connect a diverse new generation to the extraordinary attributes of natural diamonds. I am so proud of the good that diamonds do for the people and places they come from. To maximise the reach and impact of our activities, we know that new approaches and strategic collaborations will be vital. This is why we are so pleased to be working with a leading retailer like Signet to share the story of natural diamonds with consumers. Signet is a true authority for pre-engagement couples as they decide which diamond to choose, and I am particularly pleased that we will be working together to equip Signet's sales associates to share the unique attributes of natural diamonds."

"When choosing a piece of jewelry, it's vital to have complete confidence and trust in who you buy it from and how it was sourced," said Signet Jewelers CEO Virginia C. Drosos. "Our industry-leading position in responsible sourcing is an asset we want to communicate to the next generation of diamond buyers. We are proud to stand by the "Signet Promise" – our commitment to upholding the integrity of the global diamond supply chain through responsible sourcing."

"Our selection of diamonds is unrivaled, and our jewelry experts know the ins and outs of the diamond purchasing journey and value proposition," said Drosos. "Our team members overwhelmingly choose natural for their own purchases – more than 4 out of 5 times, in fact – which speaks volumes. We are looking forward to investing in new trainings and initiatives to equip our field team to share the natural diamond story with our customers."

As a leading natural diamond supplier, all De Beers diamonds are sourced in accordance with the company's Best Practice Principles and its Building Forever sustainability framework, ensuring that every diamond discovered by De Beers is responsibly sourced and has helped create a positive impact for the people and place it came from.

Contact

Signet Jewelers
Katie Spencer
katie.spencer@signetjewelers.com

De Beers Group
Press office
Tel +44 (0) 20 7430 3434
pressoffice@debeersgroup.com

About Signet Jewelers

Signet Jewelers Limited is the world's largest retailer of diamond jewelry. As a Purpose-driven and sustainability-focused company, Signet is a participant in the United Nations Global Compact and adheres to its principles-based approach to responsible business. Signet operates eCommerce sites and approximately 2,700 stores under the name brands KAY Jewelers, Zales, Jared, Banter by Piercing Pagoda, Diamonds Direct, Blue Nile, James Allen, Rocksbox, Peoples Jewellers, H.Samuel, and Ernest Jones. Our sales derive from the retailing of jewelry, watches, and associated services.

About De Beers Group

Established in 1888, De Beers Group is the world's leading diamond company with expertise in the exploration, mining, marketing and retailing of diamonds. Together with its joint venture partners, De Beers Group employs more than 20,000 people across the diamond pipeline and is the world's largest diamond producer by value, with diamond mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. Innovation sits at the heart of De Beers Group's strategy as it develops a portfolio of offers that span the diamond value chain, including its jewellery houses, De Beers Jewellers and Forevermark, and other pioneering solutions such as diamond sourcing and traceability initiatives Tracr and GemFair. De Beers Group also provides leading services and technology to the diamond industry in the form of education and laboratory services via De Beers Institute of Diamonds and a wide range of diamond sorting, detection and classification technology systems via De Beers Group Ignite. De Beers Group is committed to 'Building Forever,' a holistic and integrated approach for creating a better future – where safety, human rights and ethical integrity continue to be paramount; where communities thrive and the environment is protected; and where there are equal opportunities for all. De Beers Group is a member of the Anglo American plc group. For further information, visit www.debeersgroup.com.

¹ Based on Signet's proprietary data

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/signet-and-de-beers-collaborate-to-highlight-the-unique-attributes-of-natural-diamonds-to-a-new-generation-of-us-couples-302151999.html

SOURCE Signet Jewelers Ltd.