AR and VR in jewellery: How they are changing the jewel mining industry and interaction with the outside world

By Ravish Pahuja

One of the most significant achievements of technology came in the form of immersion, the ability to give people a chance to experience a product as if it were in front of them without actually having to be there. Technology, in many different ways, has allowed people to be immersed in the products they are interested in.

When the internet came into existence, people could view the products they wanted to buy online via high-quality digital photographs, videos, infographics, and more. This allowed audiences to discover new products, find what they liked, and eventually make their final purchases. Over time, more unique forms of immersive technology were developed. Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are the two most popular.

Augmented Reality allows people to view products in the real world through their smartphone screens. This happens by projecting a 3D product model on their display, giving people a sense of size, scale, and perspective. Thanks to the added dimension, it provides far greater immersion than viewing two-dimensional photographs. AR augments the user’s perception and interaction with the surroundings.

Through virtual reality, users are completely immersed in a digitally reproduced environment. Users in this scenario put on a VR headset with specialised tracking and movement that allows them to glance about as if they’ve been transported to a different planet. In the virtual world, users may use digital avatars to grasp and interact with items. This is the most accurate imitation of the actual thing.

The jewellery industry has gradually seen an integration of these technologies. This has led to significant developments in the way businesses sell their finished products and how consumers make their purchasing decisions from brand catalogues.

Brands creatively use AR and VR to persuade people to purchase their goods. Augmented Reality is used to help consumers ‘try on’ jewellery products by viewing 3D models of them on their device screens. These models can be rotated and manoeuvred for a better view of all the angles, giving consumers a sense of how the product would look & feel. AR also allows consumers to customize products they wish to purchase according to their liking and view those products in real-time. AR product models can reflect colours, sizes, shapes, textures, and more.

Using Virtual Reality, jewellery brands can build digitally simulated 360-degree environments from scratch. Consumers can be taken directly into such virtual showrooms where they can walk around, look at the product catalogue, and interact with the products with their digital avatars.

The power of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality creates interactive experiences for audiences to immerse themselves in the products they want to buy. By leveraging them effectively, brands can attract customers and persuade them to buy their jewellery with the help of immersion, which is exciting and engaging.

(The author is Ravish Pahuja, Managing Director & CEO, ORO Precious metals PVT Ltd. , and the views expressed in this article are his own)