Inaugural jewellery-based Vicenza Symposium scheduled autumn 2025
February 20, 2025
September 2-4, 2025, will mark the inaugural Vicenza Symposium, an event focused entirely on technologies and manufacturing trends in the jewellery sector. Basilica Palladiana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Vicenza, Italy, will host the international symposium, which is aimed at professionals, academics and industry leaders. The symposium will provide a place for attendees to network and develop professionally.
“The Vicenza Symposium not only celebrates technological innovations but also serves as a key platform for dialogue among professionals, academics, and industry leaders,” stated Damiano Zito. “Our mission is clear: to foster continuous learning, encourage networking, and share advancements that can have a tangible impact on the industry at a global level, always keeping a close eye on the evolving needs of the sector. I am confident that, over time, The Vicenza Symposium will become an unmissable event for all professionals who aspire to shape the future of jewellery”.
The programme of The Vicenza Symposium will feature a schedule of professional development sessions, networking opportunities, and discussions on key topics for the industry, including Additive Manufacturing, the integration and use of artificial intelligence (AI), regulatory updates, and quality control. AM, called by the organisers a true revolution for the optimisation of precious materials, will play a central role in the symposium discussions. Innovative technologies in the field of jewellery and fashion accessories production will also be presented.
The Vicenza Symposium will be structured around two main sectors: fine jewellery and fashion accessories made from non-precious metals. It will be a non-commercial, highly technical event featuring twenty-one international speakers addressing an audience of around 100 participants across seven daily sessions. Each session will last about forty-five minutes and focus on sharing advancements and innovations in the industry. The symposium will also include daily Q&A sessions (each lasting 20-25 minutes), during which participants can interact with the speakers.
A significant part of the event will be dedicated to the presentation of numerous papers that will explore the most relevant topics for professionals in the goldsmithing and jewellery industry. Approximately 25% of the papers will delve into the world of fashion jewellery, with particular attention given to precious metals and production techniques, with a balanced approach intended to reflect the symposium’s mission: to foster the exchange of knowledge and technological advancements among experts and researchers, thus contributing to the growth of the sector. A complete agenda is available via the event’s site.
The Vicenza Symposium, anticipated to take place every two years, hopes to carry forward the legacy of the Santa Fe Symposium, an event created and supported by Eddie Bell, the former technical director of Rio Grande Jewelers Supply. From 1987 onwards, Bell fostered a collaborative community in the jewellery industry and will serve as the Honorary President of the scientific committee of the Vicenza Symposium.
The Scientific Committee of The Vicenza Symposium also includes:
- President: Damiano Zito – chairman and CEO, Progold SpA
- Vice President: Massimo Poliero – Legor Group President and CEO
- Giorgio Bodei – Industrial Director, Pomellato
- Florian Bulling – Materials Engineer, FEM Forschungsinstitut
- Ezio Dadone – Jewellery Industrialization & Manufacturing Director, Bvlgari (LVMH Group)
- Frédéric Diologent – R&I Materials Director, Richemont
- Valerio Doppio – R&D Manager, Progold
- Andrea Friso – R&D Manager, Master Alloy (Legor Group)
- Ulrich Klotz – Head of the Department of Physical Metallurgy at the Research Institute for Precious Metals & Metals Chemistry, Schwaebisch Gmuend, Germany
The Vicenza Symposium was introduced to the global industry community during the January 2025 edition of Vicenzaoro Europe’s leading International jewellery, goldsmithing, and watchmaking exhibition organized by the Italian Exhibition Group together with T.Gold – International exhibition for goldsmithing machinery and technology.
Those interested can register here. Early-bird rates are available until April 15; the mid-rate discount is available until May 31.
