Thursday, 18 June, 2026 at  PALEXPO Geneva

Please inform yourself about details of EPHJ

Photonics 4 Masterpieces: Colors

This Conference organized by Swissphotonics, will take place in the framework of the EPHJ International Tradeshow, the most important annual exhibition for Swiss suppliers of watch industry and micro technology.

Color lies at the heart of watchmaking and jewelry—defining aesthetics, perceived quality, and brand identity. Yet achieving precise, reproducible, and innovative colors remains a complex technical challenge, especially as materials, coatings, and manufacturing processes evolve.
Swissphotonics invites you to a dedicated workshop at EPHJ exploring how photonic technologies enable next-generation color solutions for the watch and jewelry industry. The workshop will bring together experts from industry and research to discuss advanced methods for color generation, measurement, and control.
Topics will include structural colors based on nanophotonics, laser-based surface functionalization, thin-film coatings, and high-precision color metrology. Participants will gain insights into how these technologies can enhance durability, sustainability, and design flexibility while ensuring consistency across production.
Designed for engineers, designers, and decision-makers, this workshop offers a unique opportunity to connect photonics innovation with the creative and technical demands of luxury manufacturing.

Join us at EPHJ at PALEXPO, Geneva, on June 18, 2026, to explore how light enables new dimensions of color, to presentations in the morning and a roundtable in the afternoon. No registration is necessary and participation is for free.


Program: This 45-minute roundtable discussion will bring together representatives from the robotics industry, technology innovation, and innovation ecosystems to address the central question: Swiss microtechnology tradition – quo vadis?
 
The discussion will explore the future of traditional microtechnology in the context of increasing automation and advanced manufacturing technologies, highlighting the evolving role of precision engineering and the succession challenges faced by small workshops and highly specialized artisan businesses. Particular attention will also be given to new growth opportunities beyond the traditional watchmaking and luxury sectors, notably in the fields of healthcare and photonics.
 
The session aims to encourage an open and forward-looking exchange on how Switzerland’s micromechanical ecosystem can preserve its unique heritage while continuing to innovate and strengthen its global competitiveness within a rapidly evolving technological and economic landscape.



Date Conference
Thursday, 18 June 2026


Venue



Palexpo Geneva-Airport
Route François-Peyrot 30
1218 Le Grand-Saconnex GE

Access

Public transport
walking distance from Geneva-Airport (railway station and airport)

Conference language
French and English
Slides and discussion English

Online registration for the EPHJ Exposition highly recommended (it is for free) to avoid waiting time. Registration at Swissphotonics for the Workshop or for the Round Table neither possible nor necessary. Your EPHJ badge will be scanned for sending to you a survey for getting feedback.

Cost
This workshop is free of charge


Feedback survey of PHOTONICS²¹
Thank you for participating in our end-user workshop Photonics 4 Masterpieces. In order to improve our services we ask you to answer this short survey monkey.  It only takes 5 minutes of your time. Your sincere responses will be valuable to us and will be handled strictly confidential.


Le comité scientifique d’organisation

• Dr. Annika Steggemann, ETA
• Dr. Rolando Ferrini, Femtoprint
• Prof. Dr. Ronald Holtz, FHNW IPPE Laser Technologie, 5210 Windisch AG
• Fabio Manzini, CEO Directeur commercial GMP SA, 1020 Renens VD
• Prof. Dr. Beat Neuenschwander, Leiter ALPS, 3400 Burgdorf
• Dr. Elia Iseli, EMPA, Advanced Materials Processing, 3602 Thun

Contact Laser Beam Production / Manufacturing SNAP
Institute of Product and Production Engineering (IPPE)
University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland
Prof. Dr. Ronald Holtz
+41 79 428 20 39

Contact Swissphotonics
Dr. Christoph S. Harder
President Swissphotonics
+41 79 219 90 51

13 April, 2026, Christoph Harder