Engagement Rings Remain the Most Valued Wedding Detail Despite Post-Pandemic Attitude Changes

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach - 19 October 2022 - At a time when many aspects of life have been reshaped by the aftermath of COVID-19, women in Hong Kong are also reconsidering their wishes and priorities for the biggest day of their lives. However, despite new ideas about how to plan and structure their weddings, they continue to consider a true "proposal" to be paramount, including a sparkling diamond engagement ring, according to the latest online pre-bridal survey conducted by Nielsen.

With close to 900 female respondents, the survey reveals the latest engagement and wedding expectations among younger generations in Hong Kong. The findings show that given the social distancing measures in place, weddings have been scaled down in size to become more intimate events. More than half (55%) of the women surveyed prefer a simple and casual wedding, up 24% from the pre-pandemic period. This is followed by a "witness to witness" wedding (27%) and a travel wedding (25%). Fairytale weddings (14%) and traditional Chinese-style weddings (10%) have become far less popular choices.

The Proposal Remains Precious

While the form of a dream wedding may have changed, almost all (88%) respondents agree that staging a proposal is of critical importance to them, and here again, the concept of intimacy is highlighted. Three in four respondents would like the proposal to take place privately, and over half (53%) enjoy a moment of "just the two of us." A grand showcase in an open environment is no longer the way to win the heart.

An Engagement Ring Remains a "Must-Have"

The survey indicates that the vast majority (81%) of respondents see engagement rings as the most important detail of all, a statistic that remains unchanged from the pre-pandemic level. This ritual is followed in importance by pre-wedding photos (70%) and wedding dresses (54%). On the other hand, pre-wedding bridal showers, wedding banquets and honeymoons have become less important.

When it comes to the selection of the engagement ring, nearly all (94%) women express a strong desire to be involved in handpicking the right ring. Top considerations when selecting the engagement ring include the conventional 4Cs (colour, clarity, carat and cut) (75%), and natural diamonds are preferred by most respondents (62%). Nearly half of modern brides-to-be (47%) are also thinking about the origin or certificate of their diamonds, wishing to be confident that their precious diamonds come from ethical sources. As we have seen across different surveys globally, it is the youngest respondents (18-24) leading the charge in prioritizing the origin of their diamonds.

Methodology

Commissioned by De Beers Group, the pre-bridal Survey was conducted by Nielsen in July 2022 through a number of selected social media channels, with a total of 888 female respondents, age 18-44. Most of the participants (72%) were either engaged or in a serious relationship. The design and data analysis of the survey were engineered by Nielsen.

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About De Beers

Established in 1888, De Beers is the world's leading diamond company with expertise in the exploration, mining and marketing of diamonds. Together with its joint venture partners, De Beers employs more than 20,000 people across the diamond pipeline and is the world's largest diamond producer by value, with mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. Innovation sits at the heart of the De Beers strategy as it develops its portfolio of brands, including De Beers Jewellers and Forevermark, and other pioneering solutions, such as recently launched diamond sourcing and traceability initiatives GemFair and Tracr. De Beers employees are committed to 'Building Forever,' a holistic and integrated approach for creating a better future � one that is fairer, safer, cleaner and healthier; where safety, human rights and ethical integrity continue to be paramount; and where communities thrive and the environment is protected. De Beers is a member of the Anglo American plc group. For further information, visit www.debeersgroup.com.

About Nielsen

Nielsen Holdings plc (NYSE: NLSN) is a global measurement and data analytics company that provides the most complete and trusted view available of consumers and markets worldwide. Nielsen is divided into two business units. Nielsen Global Media, the arbiter of truth for media markets, provides media and advertising industries with unbiased and reliable metrics that create a shared understanding of the industry required for markets to function. Nielsen Global Connect provides consumer packaged goods manufacturers and retailers with accurate, actionable information and insights and a complete picture of the complex and changing marketplace that companies need to innovate and grow.

Our approach marries proprietary Nielsen data with other data sources to help clients around the world understand what's happening now, what's happening next, and how to best act on this knowledge.

An S&P 500 company, Nielsen has operations in over 100 countries, covering more than 90% of the world's population. For more information, visit www.nielsen.com.