De Beers Sparkles in 3D

De Beers, which controls about 40 percent of the rough diamond market, took a nasty beating during the global recession. But now the world's leading producer of the desirable gem is seeing some reason for cautious optimism.

De Beers showed promising results in the first half of 2010 and "a much healthier balance sheet," according to Reuters, but the company is far from declaring a complete recovery of its own.

That's why De Beers wants to keep its diamonds top-of-mind with upscale consumers. With Asia remaining one of the world's legitimate areas for growth in luxury items, De Beers is using Tokyo's Isetan department store windows to create a pioneering exhibit called "The Art of Diamond Jewelry."

Running through July 21st, the exhibit in the city's Shinjuku shopping district incorporates photography and multimedia, including a first of its kind 3D film about diamonds that is shown on a custom screen and requires no 3D glasses.

The film was created by Holition, a company that markets a 3D virtual reality application allowing customers to "try on" luxury goods such as diamonds, jewelry and watches.

Using a computer with a webcam, Holition combines live video with ultra-high definition 3D products, technical specifications and branded content to create a unique retail experience. The computer's screen acts as a mirror, reflecting the consumer's moving image, so they can see themselves in the act of trying on a virtual watch or piece of jewelry.

This could mark the beginning of a whole new way of selling high-end jewelry — and employing 3D technology to bring brand marketing to a new level.