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September 28, 2026 -
From observing the stars to measuring time with atoms, discover how CSEM is carrying Neuchâtel’s remarkable timekeeping heritage into a new era of ultra-precise atomic clocks.
For more than a century, the measurement of time has been closely intertwined with Neuchâtel’s scientific and technological history. From astronomical observations to atomic clocks, that quest for ever greater precision continues today at CSEM, where advanced timekeeping technologies are being transformed into solutions for real-world applications.
This story is at the heart of Des étoiles aux atomes… L’Observatoire cantonal de Neuchâtel, an exhibition exploring the history of precise time measurement and the remarkable role played by the Cantonal Observatory of Neuchâtel. The exhibition brings together four emblematic locations across the canton and traces the evolution from astronomical observations to today’s advanced timekeeping technologies.
CSEM contributed to both the project and its accompanying book, published by Éditions Alphil. As the exhibition continues, we take a closer look at CSEM’s own chapter in this remarkable story and at how technologies rooted in Neuchâtel’s timekeeping heritage are helping address the needs of an increasingly connected world.
By Steve Lecomte, Head of Instrumentation at CSEM, and Fabien Droz, former CSEM colleague and now Director of Rolex Quantum SA.
The connection runs deep. Since 2007, CSEM has continued the applied development of atomic clock activities originating at the Cantonal Observatory, translating scientific advances into technologies addressing concrete industrial needs. Its teams remain based at the Observatory’s historic site on the Colline du Mail.
Today, CSEM’s time-and-frequency activities span three main areas:
Among these developments are optical atomic clocks, which use atomic transitions much faster than conventional microwave atomic clocks, enabling exceptional levels of precision and stability.
The system developed by CSEM reaches a stability corresponding to a drift of less than half a second over one million years, bringing performance once largely confined to fundamental research laboratories closer to industrial applications.
The impact extends well beyond Neuchâtel. Through a partnership with METAS, Rolex has become the first private Swiss company to officially contribute to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), with data from optical clocks developed by CSEM feeding into the global calculation of time coordinated by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM). UTC provides the common time reference behind systems ranging from satellite navigation and telecommunications to financial transactions.
At the same time, CSEM continues to explore more compact, low-power atomic clocks that could one day be integrated into satellites, scientific instruments, autonomous vehicles, smartphones or highly robust navigation systems.
From astronomical observations to quartz, atomic clocks and optical technologies, Neuchâtel’s relationship with time has never stopped evolving.
As a member of the working group supporting the valorization of the historic Observatory site within Des étoiles aux atomes…, CSEM contributes to preserving this remarkable scientific heritage while continuing to transform advances in timekeeping into technologies for the future.
From reading time in the stars to measuring it through atoms, Neuchâtel’s quest for precision continues.