“The Vicenza Symposium”: in the mission of the international event, a conscious and sustainable hi-tech future for jewellery and fashion.

“The Vicenza Symposium”:
in the mission of the international event, a conscious and sustainable hi-tech future for jewellery and fashion.

A multidisciplinary Scientific Committee will lead the discussion on AI, additive manufacturing, and process innovation, from September 2 to 4 at the Basilica Palladiana.

The President of The Vicenza Symposium, Damiano Zito: “We are connecting the best international expertise not only to anticipate the future, but to guide it with awareness, vision, and responsibility.”

The jewellery and silverware sector, together with fashion accessories production, is undergoing a profound transformation to ensure sustainable development where creativity, craftsmanship, and technological innovation meet. From September 2 to 4, 2025, in the historic setting of Vicenza’s Basilica Palladiana, just ahead of Vicenzaoro (September 5–9, 2025), this challenge will take center stage at the first edition of The Vicenza Symposium, a biennial scientific platform for the industry.

“The transformations underway demand a deep reflection on how we want to produce, innovate, and create value,” explains Damiano Zito, President of the Symposium and its distinguished Scientific Committee. “The Symposium was created to respond to this need, offering a space for dialogue between science, industry, and the culture of making. Connecting the best international expertise means not only anticipating the future, but also guiding it with awareness, vision, and responsibility.”

At the heart of the Symposium’s mission is the goal of exploring new frontiers in high-quality jewellery and fashion accessory production through a sustainable, responsible, and certified approach, one that combines technical expertise, cultural vision, and creative research. Thanks to its multidisciplinary nature, the event stands apart from any other in the industry calendar, offering tangible networking opportunities between leading international speakers, participating companies, and stakeholders.

A key role in this decisive step toward the future of the jewellery industry is played by the international Scientific Committee, composed of nine leading experts: Massimo Poliero (Vice President), Frédéric Diologent, Giorgio Bodei, Ezio Dadone, Ulrich Klotz, Valerio Doppio, Florian Bulling, Joyce Lam, and Andrea Friso, with Eddie Bell, founder of the historic Santa Fe Symposium, serving as Honorary Chairman.

AN OPEN DIALOGUE BETWEEN TRADITION AND FUTURE

The Vicenza Symposium aims to accompany the jewellery sector on a path of innovation that enhances craftsmanship, not by replacing it, but by integrating it into a renewed vision.

“The challenge is to use innovation to relieve artisans of repetitive tasks,” stresses Ezio Dadone (Jewellery Industrialization & Manufacturing Senior Director at Bvlgari, LVMH Group), “giving them back the time and space to focus on the essence of their craft: shaping precious masterpieces. True progress happens when technology supports ingenuity and creative craftsmanship.”

Echoing this view, Valerio Doppio (R&D Manager at Progold) sees in the combination of Artificial Intelligence and additive manufacturing “a new production era—more precise, efficient, flexible, and sustainable—capable of integrating the value of craftsmanship with the potential of technology. This change,” he adds, “opens up unprecedented perspectives and will allow the industry to combine its artisanal tradition with the most advanced technology.”

TECHNOLOGY AND SUSTAINABILITY: AN INSEPARABLE DUO

Respect for the environment and reducing environmental impact have become fundamental drivers for the sector. Giorgio Bodei (Industrial Director at Pomellato) highlights how “the push toward sustainability has triggered profound change, promoting the search for processes, materials, and technologies with a lower impact across the entire value chain. During the Symposium, research will be presented showing how this new driver has fostered the study and development of alternative technologies for production and product traceability.”

In parallel, Andrea Friso (R&D Manager for Master Alloy at Legor Group) stresses the importance of fostering constructive dialogue between jewellery and fashion: “This marks the beginning of a path which, building on the legacy of the Santa Fe Symposium, looks to the future of technology applied to both sectors. We consider it essential to encourage cross-pollination between different yet complementary fields, as shown by presentations on transversal production technologies and innovative treatments such as CN-free galvanic baths. The goal is to address both scientific communities and inspire new experiments and fresh perspectives.”

A DIALOGUE GROUNDED IN SCIENTIFIC RIGOUR

Guaranteeing the quality of the event is the rigorous approach of the Scientific Committee, which oversees content direction and selection. Ulrich Klotz, professor at Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences, focuses in particular on Artificial Intelligence and experimental methods to drive innovation in both traditional and new materials: “The Vicenza Symposium will be a key event for our industry, with presentations based on strong scientific and technical foundations. I look forward to contributions on how AI, combined with physics-based simulations and experimental methods, can guide innovation in the processing of both traditional and advanced materials. These discussions will deepen our understanding and inspire new ways of integrating scientific research with craftsmanship.”

THREE DAYS DEDICATED TO AN INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY OF EXPERTS AND INNOVATORS

The Vicenza Symposium is a network for technical and cultural exchange, structured over three days in which 21 international speakers will present the latest research and innovations across seven daily sessions, addressing a highly qualified audience.

Each session will be followed by interactive Q&A moments, encouraging direct exchange of experiences and solutions with the speakers.

With a rich program and an ever-forward-looking perspective, The Vicenza Symposium aspires to become a new global platform where technical culture meets vision, and where craftsmanship finds in technology a strategic ally.