Alon’s Blog

People that know me, know I love technology. We’ve been hearing for many years about Augmented Reality, but many people have no idea what it is. Beginning of this year, as CEO of AceJewelers.com I got confronted with Holition. A company that created an augmented reality tool for trying on jewelry in front of a computer. Today we, at Ace Jewelers, officially launched this tool as the first jeweler in the world. This is the press release we sent out:

Amsterdam/London, October 2009

AUGMENTED REALITY – WORLD FIRST: Try On Virtual Jewelry Online!                 

Ace Jewelers Group is the first online jeweler in the world in which  people can try on jewels virtually via their website using, a revolutionaryAugmented Reality retail tool, Holition . Ace Jewelers presents their own designed jewels through Holition, enabling their clients to try on the jewels online at home

Since the launching of the new website, www.AceJewelers.com, Ace Jewelers has been busy with renewing and improving the site. The collections have recently been extended with luxury sunglasses and the website has been advanced with unique techniques to make the website more customer friendly.

This month Ace Jewelers introduced Holition Augmented Reality on the website, this is a new revolutionary technology, makes it possible to try on your favourite ring or wristwatch in front of a computerorlaptop.

Alon Ben Joseph of Ace Jewelers commented: “Holition allows our clients to explore products by “trying on” the Eternity Pave Ring in a virtual environment. The ability to use the software online is a huge benefit and one which will undoubtedly bring a novel and exciting new experience to Ace clients, and ultimately drive sales. We see this as the future of online retail and are delighted to be one of the first companies exploring this exciting new direction in luxury retail. ”

3D viewing is made possible in three simple steps:

Print out a paper ring, cut it out, and put it on your finger pointing the paper ring towards a webcam. The camera will then register the item and project the desired ring onto the screen –  you can thenview the model on your hand from different angles.

  

Fig. 1. Client trying on the Ace Eternity Pave ring online using Holition

Ace Jewelers Group
Since 1975, Ace Jewelers Group has been one of the most renowned jewelers in Amsterdam and authorised dealer of many major brands. Examples of these include Breitling, Omega, TAG Heuer and IWC.

Ace Jewelers has three physical branches and a eBoutique; One  physical store is situated in the heart of Amsterdam, Ace & Spyer, on the corner of Koningsplein and the Flower Market. The second store, Ace & Dik located on the Van Baerlestraat, has been a jewelry business for more than 70 years. Also located in the heart of Amsterdam is Ace Jewelers, on the Leidsestraat, where mostly trendsetting brands such as TiSento, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana are displayed.      

Holition
Holition is a leading provider of online interactive marketing and retail solutions to the jewellery, watch and eyewear markets. Holition has developed a unique virtual reality marketing application for use online, in-store and at live events.

Established in London in January 2008, Holition is a joint venture between pioneering 3D specialists Inition, and Holts Lapidary, UK Jewellery Retailer of the Year 2008.

One of the hidden treasures of the Netherlands has come to light today!

Watches were packed away in boxes, in drawers or safes, or even visible on the wrists of proud owners, but today they can be viewed by all enthusiasts. The Netherlands knows thousands of watch-lovers – People who sometimes have a fortune to spend on just that one special watch –that ultimate wrist–ornament: to possess that wonder of refined mastery! From this inheritance ,the Lexus Dutch Watch Heritage, together with fascinated and passionate watch-lovers, brings this exceptional event. Meant for the collectors who would like to display their treasures and for all others who feel drawn towards the unique world of the quality timepiece.

The Lexus Dutch Watch Heritage gathers together 100 rare or unique watches. These will be exhibited to the public at the Netherlands Gold-, Silver-, and Clock Museum in Schoonhoven on Saturday 27th June and then from Tuesday 30th June up to and including Sunday 5th July. On these days you can visit the exhibition and admire models from top brands such as IWC, Rolex, Breitling, Jaeger Le Coultre and many others. Ace Jewelers will display a number of the latest timepieces next to this wonderful collection. Then you have the opportunity to look at and try the present-day models of IWC, Breitling, Edox, Tag Heuer and Omega. Ace Jewelers shows watches with a long history -for example the IWC Big Pilot, the legendary Breitling Navitimer and also watches with very complex movements like the Edox Minute Repeater. R

eadings on the Sunday give the subject more depth, and a taxation of one’s own watch allows active participation to the event for the watch enthusiast. The Netherlands’ only two honoured taxateurs, Anton Gaemers and Ronny Wooter have given their co-operation to, and will be present during the event. Anton Gaemers, timepiece- technician from the Hague, whose family have been active in chronometry since 1877, is the curator of the exhibition: ‘The Netherlands has probably more than a thousand serious timepiece collectors and it is fantastic to be able to exhibit the most beautiful and unique of this legacy’. Ronny Wooter, watch specialist from Sotheby’s, will share his expertise on taxation, amoung other subjects. Together these two gentlemen will provide lectures about the history and value of watches. Ace Jewelers will also provide a reading about watches and contemporary models. In short, an exhibition full of narratives, romance and craftsmanship.

Every watch has a story: the history of its origin, the specialities of the subject, the history of the brand and not forgetting the story behind the owner of the watch. Not only inspired timepiece technicians, but also pilots, racing-drivers, filmstarsand aspiring rivalling magnates figure in the story of watches. The exhibition is open to the public on Saturday 27th June, 2009 and from Tuesday 30 June up to and including 5th July 2009. The entrance fee is EUR 6,- p.p.

Nederlands Goud, Zilver en Klokkenmuseum
Kazerneplein 4
2871 CZ Schoonhoven
The Netherlands

www.DutchWatchHeritage.nl

Het Parool is a leading daily Dutch newspaper and this year they started their own tv channel on www.Parool.tv! Last week they interviewed me, after the official Launch Party of AceJewelers.com.

Alon on YouTube/Parool.TV

For the Dutch readers, please also visit: Parool.TV

This year I decided to register for the Zibb Business Challenge 2008 a.k.a. Battle of the Brains.

The concept is that any entrepreneur can register, post his personal Business Challenge and compete with other entrepreneurs. The winner not only has the honour to name himself Zibb Business Challenger 2008, but also receives a prize equaling EUR 55.000,–

As CEO of Ace Jewelers Group I posted our business challenge of transforming our classic retail organization in to a hybrid company where retail and e-tail go hand in hand. This year we started the fourth company of The Ace Jewelers Group, Ace Online B.V., where we will manage all our e-commerce activities. For further details, please see my challenge on the Zibb page:

Ace Online Business Challenge: “Retail & E-tail: Friend or Foes?”

All the contestants where invited for a networking workshop on Thursday September 24, 2008 in Rotterdam. The Friday before I received a phone call that I was selected with 14 other entrepreneurs to come present our challenge for the jury and from this group of 15, the final eight contestant would be selected.

The networking workshop was fun and very interesting. I met very nice people and the jury was very enthousiastic. The day after I received a phone call that I am one of the final eight contestants

Please visit this blog regularly for updates on my (personal) challenge… The next challenge is on Friday October 3rd, 2008 and is titled FUN challenge.

I have been asked by a leading insurance company, Turien & Co. to advise their customers about the value of watches and jewelry. See the movies in the digital magazine from page 34 till 39:

http://www.turienmagazine.nl

NOS made on online TV report of the event “Juwelen in het Amstel” yesterday at the opening, where Ace Jewelers is presenting itself:

http://www.nosheadlines.nl/forum.php/list_messages/7079

Ace Juweliers (standhouder) geeft 10x entreekaarten voor 2 personen (twv EUR 70,-) cadeau aan de eerste tien mensen die een bericht achterlaten op de Ace Juweliers Hyves:

http://acejuweliers.hyves.nl/forum/803912/0nOz/Juwelen_in_Amstel_Hotel_II_15_15_17_juni_2007

Dit jaar voor de tweede maal: Vrijdag 15 juni, vanaf 16.00, zal er drie dagen lang een fantastische show plaatsvinden in het Amstel Hotel te Amsterdam.

Ace Juweliers Groep zal daar wederom aanwezig zijn met een nog grotere stand met vele exclusieve horloges en sieraden. Er zullen ook vele speciale Limited Edition horloges van IWC, Breitling, Omega en Baume & Mercier aanwezig zijn. Daarbij zullen sieraden getoond worden van de merken: Gucci Jewelry, Noor Diamonds, Jean-Marc Garel, Marco Bicego en Stockert Diamonds.

See my security advices on local Dutch TV:

http://www.rtvnh.nl/asxgen.asp?item=StudioAmsterdam2007%2Fstudioamsterdam%5F20070508%2Ewmv&start=500

Onder de mom van: Any PR, is Good PR…

Kopen de zangers Guillermo en Tropical Danny in hun nieuwste clip “Kerstvakantie” hun sieraden bij Ace & Spyer:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=is6WySGz8MI]

Guillermo en Tropical Danny: http://www.toppertjetoppertje.nl/

-Alon

PS: Geloof niet alles wat je op TV/Internet ziet, wij hebben niet zulke lelijke verkopers en zeker niet die lelijke kettingen