Tag Archives: Ace Jewelers

Augmented Reality actually working

16 October 2009 admin Leave a comment

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.

ACE_try_on_1
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.

Ace Jewelers, Watches

Dutch Watch Heritage

27 June 2009 admin Leave a comment

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

DWH

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

FunStuff, General

The Blog Game: Tag! Your it!

12 March 2008 alonbj 7 Comments

This week I have been tagged by my (digital) friend, Harry Bishop, from Canada (http://www.harrybishop.ca). It wasn't clear to me exactly what it meant, but if you read the rules, it is a rather fun concept. I renamed it: "The Blog Game".

The rules are:

Link to your tagger and post these rules;
List EIGHT random facts about yourself;
Tag EIGHT people at the end of your post and list their names;
Let them know they’ve been tagged; and,
E-mail your tagger, the link to your post.

When I got tagged, I had no idea what to share, so I am going to share 8 random facts that pop-in to my head:

1. You might have guested what my passions are (looking at my blog and career choice), but I have a virus! I am mad about watches/mechanical movements/watchmaking. That is the reason I initiated the blog WatchFreaks couple of months ago. From the start we received positive feedback and the group of visitors grows steadily every day.

2. If people need to guess where I was born, looking at my name, the largest chance is that people will say Israel. Although my roots go back to the Jerusalem of King David, I am born and raised in Amsterdam (The Netherlands, Europe), where I still reside.

3. Talking about names, almost everybody gets confused about my double family name: Ben Joseph. Most people think Ben is my middle name. My family name means Son of Joseph in Hebrew. So, my complete family name is BEN JOSEPH and first name is: Alon, which means "Royal Oak" (yes, like the watch).

4. A lot of people question me about the meaning of the slogan of my blog: "Strong as a Tree"... If you paid attention at fact #3, my name is also used for a tree: an Oak 😀

5. My favorite dish/food is: Almost anything that comes of a BBQ! Especially a good juicy steak.

6. My direct circle of friends know that I love quotes, so hereby one of my favorites, an oldy, but a goody by C.G. Jung: "Show me a sane man, and I will cure him for you!".

7. My favorite (dream) car: Lancia Flaminia Zagato Supersport.

8. Last, but certainly not least, a question that is asked many times: My favorite watch. That I currently own, the IWC Portuguese Chrono Rattrapante. My dream watch: F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain.

I hope that you enjoyed my scribbles. Now I am tagging to following people that I think have something interesting to share:

1. Natalie Shell of Think Talk Walk- My friend that was one of the first persons in my direct group of friends with a dynamic blog.

2. Guilda Moussazadeh of Funfair - The first member in my family that started blogging.

3. Robert-Jan Broer of Fratello Watches - My partner-in-crime on WatchFreaksBlog.com.

4. Tom Mulraney of The Watch Lounge - My Australian (digital) WatchFriend.

5. Suzan Fluitman of ONLuxury - The Dutch Online Luxury Guru.

6. Schelly Talalay Dardashti of Tracing the Tribe - The expert on Jewish Genealogy.

7. Doron Krant - My buddy who doesn't blog yet, but urgently needs to. He always finds the newest info/FunStuff & shares the coolest things with all his online contacts. He already owns the domain: Krantee.com (keep posted)!

8. Steve Fritsche of SteveFritsche.com - My Photography Friend, who doesn't have a blog yet, but now that I have tagged him, he needs to!

For all the people that don't have a blog yet, I advise them to logon to www.wordpress.com and get a free account. You can be blogging within 5 minutes!

Ace Jewelers, FunStuff, Photography, Watches

Ace & Dik Shutter

17 February 2008 alonbj Leave a comment

Since last Monday (February 11th, 2008), Ace & Dik Jewelers on the Van Baerlestraat will enlighten watch fans after opening hours with an IWC watch of about 2 by 3 meters big

The translation of the slogan is: “This watch will run as long as you will. Plus seven days.” This reffers to the patented 5000-movement that has been designed by IWC and is manufactured in Schaffhausen, Switzerland.

Ace Jewelers, Jewelry, Videos, Watches

Alon The Appraisal Advisor

18 July 2007 alonbj Leave a comment

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