The introduction of platinum plating will reduce its reliance on silver amid volatile price swings, said Pandora.
Web Tech Co. Brings Augmented Reality to Jewelry Industry
Augmentes provides a shopping platform for retailers designed to entertain, engage and educate today’s consumers.

Houston--Global technology firm Augmentes is bringing a shopping platform to the jewelry industry that is designed to engage and educate today’s consumers.
The company is offering retailers e-commerce solutions ranging from web to mobile and allowing print and social media platforms to be more transactional with consumers through augmented reality.
Augmented reality is technology that superimposes a computer generated image onto a user’s view of the real world, providing a composite view. The proprietary software modules that Augmentes brings to retailers provide a cohesive digital consumer experience across online, mobile and in-store channels.
Augmentes said it can implement its turnkey solutions into existing software systems within 90 days.
Among the offerings for retailers are mobile-augmented commerce, augmented product catalog, print and product augmentation, 3-D augmented view, virtual touch and try-on, beacons for “near me” coupons and offers, image recognition for digital offers, and geo-fencing and sensor integration.
Rapid City, South Dakota-based Riddle’s Jewelry is the company’s first jewelry retail partner. The 65-store chain has said that since it partnered with Augmentes this year to redesign its website, e-commerce sales were up 30 percent in April and May, and 400 percent in June compared to last year.
Website page views are up 30 percent and online sessions increased by more than 20 percent, the store added.
The augmented reality market, along with that of virtual reality, is skyrocketing. In 2016, the market size of the two was $6.1 billion dollars, according to Statista, and is expected to more than double to $13.9 billion this year and reach $143.3 billion in 2020.
“You can imagine the potential augmented technologies have for the buyer socially and visually,” Augmentes founder Sundar Moorthi said. “Give customers the chance to interact on their smart phones and mobile devices, and you will compel them to purchases more often, simply because they are more involved with and stimulated by your products. More than any other industry, selling jewelry is about establishing empathy and creating desire, and nothing spurs desire like trying on jewelry. Augmented apps place customers virtually inside a product or store.”
For more information, call 281-401-9883, email sales@augmentes.com or visit augmentes.com.
The Latest

It would be the third impairment charge in three years on De Beers Group, which continues to grapple with a “challenging” diamond market.

The Omaha jewelry store’s multi-million-dollar renovation is scheduled to begin in mid-May and take about six months.

Launched in 2023, the program will help the passing of knowledge between generations and alleviate the shortage of bench jewelers.

The “Paradise Amethyst” collection focuses on amethyst, pink tourmaline, garnet, and 18-karat yellow gold beads.


The retailer credited its Roberto Coin campaign, in part, for boosting its North America sales.

Sherry Smith unpacks independent retailers’ January performance and gives tips for navigating the slow-growth year ahead.

Criminals are using cell jammers to disable alarms, but new technology like JamAlert™ can stop them.

From how to get an invoice paid to getting merchandise returned, JVC’s Sara Yood answers some complex questions.

Amethyst, the birthstone for February, is a gemstone to watch this year with its rich purple hue and affordable price point.

The Italian jewelry company appointed Matteo Cuelli to the newly created role.

The manufacturer said the changes are designed to improve speed, reliability, innovation, and service.

President Trump said he has reached a trade deal with India, which, when made official, will bring relief to the country’s diamond industry.

The designer’s latest collection takes inspiration from her classic designs, reimagining the motifs in new forms.

The watchmaker moved its U.S. headquarters to a space it said fosters creativity and forward-thinking solutions in Jersey City, New Jersey.

The company also announced a new partnership with GemGuide and the pending launch of an education-focused membership program.

IGI is buying the colored gemstone grading laboratory through IGI USA, and AGL will continue to operate as its own brand.

The Texas jeweler said its team is “incredibly resilient” and thanked its community for showing support.

From cool-toned metal to ring stacks, Associate Editor Natalie Francisco highlights the jewelry trends she spotted at the Grammy Awards.

The medals feature a split-texture design highlighting the fact that the 2026 Olympics are taking place in two different cities.

From tech platforms to candy companies, here’s how some of the highest-ranking brands earned their spot on the list.

The “Khol” ring, our Piece of the Week, transforms the traditional Indian Khol drum into playful jewelry through hand-carved lapis.

The catalog includes more than 100 styles of stock, pre-printed, and custom tags and labels, as well as bar code technology products.

The chocolatier is bringing back its chocolate-inspired locket, offering sets of two to celebrate “perfect pairs.”

The top lot of the year was a 1930s Cartier tiara owned by Nancy, Viscountess Astor, which sold for $1.2 million in London last summer.

Any gemstones on Stuller.com that were sourced by an AGTA vendor member will now bear the association’s logo.

The Swiss watchmaker has brought its latest immersive boutique to Atlanta, a city it described as “an epicenter of music and storytelling.”



























