Nano-watermark sorts fakes from genuines

27. Nanoga, an EPFL-based startup, has developed a technique for engraving a nanoscopic watermark onto glass or ceramic. Products with this watermark, which is invisible to the naked eye and only shows up under ultraviolet light, are impossible to counterfeit. With Nanoga's new way of combatting counterfeits, each product can be made unique without changing its appearance. The technique, which was developed at EPFL, involves engraving an image that is invisible to the naked eye and can only be seen under ultraviolent light. It was initially developed for high-end sapphire crystal watches, but Nanoga has just patented a system of photonic watermarks for glass, ceramic and metal as well. This technique ensures cutting-edge security: to reproduce this type of nanometric engraving would be as complicated as trying to forge the Swiss 50-franc note.