Media OutReach
De Beers Shares Latest Research On Us Consumer Trends
The Diamond Report includes insights on who is buying diamonds and why, based on a study of 18,500 women across the industry’s largest consumer market
LONDON, UK – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 June 2026 – Natural diamonds are the most desired luxury jewellery product, average purchase prices have increased 25%, Gen Z is now the second largest generation buying diamonds, and non-bridal occasions account for three-quarters of overall US demand. These are some of the key findings of De Beers Group’s latest US Diamond Acquisition Study, featuring responses from 18,500 women aged 18 – 74 across the industry’s largest consumer market.
Completed in 2026, the biannual study also found that Gen Z is spending almost double what Baby Boomers spend when buying natural diamonds – at $4,080 per piece vs $2,250 – and that while love-related purchase motivations remain the core driver of demand, personal motivations such as celebrating a new job, getting a promotion, recognising an achievement or ‘just because’ are increasingly driving diamond jewellery purchasing.
The study highlights that US consumers rank natural diamonds as their top preference for a luxury jewellery item, with 11% of women ranking natural diamond jewellery their most desired luxury gift. This places natural diamond desirability ahead of synthetic lab-grown diamonds (8%), other gemstones (5%) and plain gold jewellery (4%).
Average prices for natural diamond jewellery also increased significantly in 2025, rising to $4,063 per piece compared with $3,242 in 2023. This growth is being driven by consumers buying larger carat weights, with average total carat weight increasing to 1.86 carats, up from 1.65 carats in 2023.
When it comes to the industry’s youngest generation, the study found that Gen Z punches above its weight: the generation now accounts for just under a quarter (23%) of natural diamond demand value despite representing just 18% of the population. Gen Z consumers also buy or receive diamonds for more occasions than any other generation – at 1.83 occasions per year compared with an overall average of 1.7. While bridal occasions lead Gen Z demand at 45% of total purchases, gifting from relatives also plays an important role. Birthdays are particularly significant, representing 17% of all Gen Z diamond acquisitions compared with 13% across all generations. Gen Z also highly values self-expression and associates diamonds with being a symbol of identity more than any other generation, while also having the greatest reliance on social media for researching their purchases.
Diana Mitkov, lead researcher within Diamond Demand Insights & Analytics at De Beers Group, said: “The study findings highlight that today’s consumers aspire to own natural diamonds just as much as the generations that came before them, and ahead of any other jewellery product. And they are spending more per piece than ever before. But how and why consumers buy diamonds is evolving. Traditional life milestones such as getting engaged are no longer the only value driver for the industry; consumers are increasingly marking a wide range of occasions with natural diamonds and are looking for distinct pieces that feel personal to them.
“As unique miracles of nature, the attributes of natural diamonds play directly into these shifting consumer trends. The opportunity for the diamond industry is to ensure that natural diamonds continue to capture the value of this strong underlying desire in an increasingly competitive landscape by offering compelling designs across all sizes, colours and price points and for occasions that go well beyond traditional engagement or wedding jewellery.”
These findings feature in a new publication from De Beers, The Diamond Report, which also includes an editorial on the key forces shaping a positive future for natural diamonds by EVP Corporate Affairs & Strategy and Chief Economist, Eirik Wærness; an analysis of US jewellery retail trends; perspectives from leading US designers and retailers on how the diamond buying experience is evolving; and reflections on the role natural diamonds can play in supporting socioeconomic progress for the people and places where they are discovered.
The report also notes that natural diamond sales are increasing across US independent jewellers, with Point of Sales data from 950 retailers showing sales grew 4% and 9% year-on-year in Q4 2025 and Q1 2026, respectively. Coloured and low-coloured diamonds (those in the K – Z colour range) promoted by De Beers Group’s ‘Desert diamonds’ campaign outperformed, with sales growth of 15% and 19%, respectively.
The same data shows that while synthetic lab-grown diamond jewellery sales are increasing in volume, declining retail prices mean their value share of demand remains relatively low at 15% of independent jewellers’ diamond sales, compared with 85% for natural diamonds in 2025. In addition, there is a noticeable drop-off in sales once synthetic lab-grown diamonds reach 3 carats or larger in size, suggesting that consumers may feel synthetic lab-grown diamonds beyond this size could look too big. The report notes this could mean that as synthetic lab-grown diamond prices continue to decline in line with the multi-year trend already experienced, retailers may be unable to upsell to larger sizes, which could result in lower overall sales and impact long-term gross profits.
Eirik Wærness said: “The diamond industry is evolving at pace with both supply and demand-side dynamics shaping the industry’s future. On the supply side, declining global production of natural diamonds is expected to support an improved supply-demand balance over the coming years. On the demand-side, a resilient US economy and stabilisation of demand in China saw global natural diamond demand return to growth in 2025 while the industry’s marketing efforts are showing encouraging signs of momentum. With retail returns from synthetic lab-grown diamonds likely to come under pressure in the future, we expect retailers will increasingly differentiate them from natural diamonds in their sales strategies. As these fundamentals continue to stabilise, the industry has a significant opportunity to reinforce the value of natural diamonds and support long-term growth.”
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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 London 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 and a wide range of diamond sorting, detection and classification technology services. De Beers Group is committed to ‘Building Forever,’ a holistic and integrated approach to sustainability that underpins our efforts to create meaningful impact for the people and places where our diamonds are discovered. Building Forever focuses on three key areas where, through collaborations and partnerships around the globe, we have an enhanced ability to drive positive impact; Livelihoods, Climate and Nature. De Beers Group is a member of the Anglo American plc group. For further information, visit www.debeersgroup.com.
Through DaaS, enterprise customers can access drone equipment, trained personnel, mission execution, data collection and project deliverables without purchasing and maintaining a complete in-house drone system. The model extends ZenaTech’s business beyond equipment sales and enables the company to generate recurring service revenue from customers’ operational requirements.
ZenaTech reported revenue of CAD 8.4 million for the first quarter of 2026, an increase of 640% from CAD 1.13 million in the same period of 2025. DaaS contributed approximately CAD 7.8 million, accounting for around 93% of quarterly revenue.
In 2025, the company generated annual revenue of CAD 12.9 million, up 558% from approximately CAD 2 million in 2024. DaaS contributed approximately CAD 10.1 million during its first full year of operations, representing around 78% of total annual revenue.
Acquisitions Support Service Network Expansion
ZenaTech has expanded its DaaS operations through a combination of internal technology development and acquisitions. The acquired businesses bring existing customers, professional teams and local operating capabilities, while ZenaTech gradually introduces drones, automated data collection and AI-supported analytics into selected workflows.
In 2025, the company completed 20 acquisitions, including 19 businesses providing engineering data, facility inspection and related professional services, as well as one enterprise software company.
By June 2026, ZenaTech had completed its 24th DaaS-related acquisition and expanded its services into property cleaning, facility inspection and maintenance.
Through its ZenaDrone subsidiary, ZenaTech has also developed drone products for indoor and outdoor operations. The IQ Quad supports site data collection, engineering imagery and 3D modelling, while the IQ Nano uses barcode and RFID scanning to support inventory records, shelf inspections and indoor data collection.
The company’s reported revenue growth, acquisition activity and DaaS contribution provide investors following the AI and drone sectors with measurable indicators of how its technologies are being integrated into commercial operations and converted into service revenue.
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About ZenaTech
ZenaTech (Nasdaq: ZENA) is a technology company specialising in AI-powered drones, Drone-as-a-Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS solutions and related technologies. Through its ZenaDrone subsidiary, the company develops drone products and software for commercial applications including engineering data collection, agriculture, warehouse management, facility inspection and property maintenance. ZenaTech combines its technology capabilities with a growing professional service network to support the adoption of drone-based solutions across a range of operational environments.
Media OutReach
A Defining Milestone for Gene Solutions: SPOT-MAS Multi-Cancer Screening Test Receives U.S. FDA Breakthrough Device Designation
The proposed indications for use describe SPOT-MAS 10 as a qualitative in vitro diagnostic test performed on plasma derived from a single direct-draw venous whole blood specimen. The test analyzes circulating cell-free DNA methylation and fragmentomic signatures using a machine-learning-based algorithm to detect a cancer-associated signal. It is intended for use as an adjunctive screening test in asymptomatic adults aged 40 years and older to assist in detecting cancers within the scope of the assay. These include five common cancers — breast, lung, liver, colorectal and gastric cancers — and five aggressive, less common cancers that currently lack standard screening methods — ovarian, pancreatic, esophageal, endometrial and head & neck cancers.
SPOT-MAS has been developed through years of rigorous scientific research and clinical development. In March 2025, SPOT-MAS became the first multi-cancer screening blood test in Asia to complete a large prospective cohort validation, with the K-DETEK study evaluating more than 9,000 asymptomatic participants and demonstrating strong performance, including high specificity and the ability to identify cancer-associated signals across multiple cancer types.
Since then, SPOT-MAS has been used in more than 100,000 individuals in real-world practice, with consistent performance observed beyond controlled study settings. Real-world data were presented at ESMO Asia 2025 and were featured at ASCO Breakthrough 2026 in Singapore.
The platform is built on a multi-omic approach— integrating genetics, epigenetics, and fragmentomics — together with AI-driven analysis, large-scale prospective validation, growing real-world evidence and focus on cancer types with high clinical relevance in the regions where the test is deployed.
For the United States, Breakthrough Device Designation provides Gene Solutions with a prioritized channel of engagement with the FDA as the company advances its U.S. development and validation plans.
Looking ahead, Gene Solutions will continue to collaborate with academic, clinical, laboratory, commercial and strategic partners to support responsible adoption of SPOT-MAS in accordance with local regulations, clinical guidelines and best practices.
Important Regulatory Notice: SPOT-MAS 10 has received U.S. FDA Breakthrough Device Designation. Breakthrough Device Designation is not FDA approval, clearance or marketing authorization. The device remains subject to applicable FDA regulatory review requirements, and the designation does not guarantee future FDA approval, clearance or authorization.
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Source: Gene Solutions Hong Kong Limited.
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Media OutReach
St Francis Methodist School International Shares 2023–2024 WACE Outcomes and Student Journeys
Overview of the WACE Curriculum at SFMS
SFMS International is among a small number of institutions in Singapore offering the WACE curriculum and has delivered this programme for over 23 years. The WACE is a recognised senior secondary qualification awarded by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Western Australia. It prepares students for university admission both locally and internationally.
SFMS is also currently the only school in Singapore offering a Senior High Preparatory Pathway (WACE) for students in Years 9–10. This introduces students to the structure and expectations of the curriculum earlier, building familiarity with subject content and assessment formats before progressing to the senior years. Additionally, subject selection in Years 11A and 12A is structured to meet university entry requirements and reflect students’ academic interests.
Academic Outcomes and University Placements
In 2023, 8 out of 12 WACE graduates from SFMS International achieved ATAR scores above 90, meeting the eligibility criteria for universities such as the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU). The cohort’s top scorer, Wang Dawei, recorded an ATAR of 96.15 and enrolled at NTU to study Business and International Trading. In addition to local placements, graduates were admitted to international universities such as the University of Melbourne and Fudan University in China.
In 2024, 2 out of 8 graduates also attained ATAR scores above 90. The highest scorer, Youn Chae-Won, achieved an ATAR of 95.3. Her university placement is currently pending.
Student Journeys and Holistic Development
Students in the WACE programme at SFMS International engage in both academic and co-curricular activities as part of their overall learning experience. Recent graduates have taken part in service learning, subject specialisation, and personal reflection throughout their time in the pre-university programme.
Youn Chae-Won, the 2024 valedictorian, joined SFMS International from Korea in 2021. Over time, she adjusted to a new academic environment and explored subjects such as accounting, which influenced her interest in finance-related pathways. She also took part in various aspects of school life, including a service learning trip to Bintan in 2023, where students supported local sanitation efforts. Her involvement in both academic and co-curricular settings marked a broad engagement with school life during her time at SFMS.
Andrew Zhuang, who enrolled in SFMS International in 2019, pursued subjects such as Business Management, Accounting, and English as an Additional Language (EALD). Beyond academics, he was involved in community fundraising and joined the same Bintan service trip. He also attended weekly chapel sessions and received support from peers and teachers during a period of health-related absence.
These outcomes reflect the ongoing role of the WACE programme at SFMS International in supporting students through both academic pathways and broader educational experiences. Under the leadership of Principal Mr Lee Hak Boon, the school continues to emphasise academic planning, subject selection, and student wellbeing as part of its overall approach to pre-university education.
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About St Francis Methodist School International
Established in 1960, St Francis Methodist School International (SFMS) is an educational institution in Singapore that offers primary, secondary, and pre-university programmes. The school provides several academic pathways, including the International Baccalaureate (IB), Cambridge IGCSE, and the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE), preparing students for further studies in local and overseas institutions.
