It is created with workmanship, craft and artistry reminiscent of the 19th century. Yet it is also the embodiment of the entrepreneurial spirit that shaped the 20th century. Perhaps most importantly, it is a rare fusion of form and function designed to serve mankind well into the 21st century.

It is the Geochron Global Time Indicator - the only instrument of its kind to simultaneously show daylight and darkness throughout the world. And for the next few minutes you are going to find out what makes Geochron the time indicator of choice for not only governments, international corporations and individuals all over the world, but also some fo the world's most famous museums.

As technology continues to advance and the concept of a "global economy" gains more and more acceptance, it becomes increasingly necessary to know, or at least be aware of, the time in other parts of the world.

For more globally-minded people it is even more critical to know the hours of daylight throughout the world.

Yet even the most advanced clocks of today are merely time indicators, devoid of any other vital information. That is, except for the Geochron.

You probably already know how the earth is divided into 24 "standard" time zones. But did you know about the 16 additional, "non-standard" time zones?

Don't worry. The Geochron has them all covered, all year long- even during periods of daylight-savings time.

What's more, the map on every single Geochron we make is designed to reflect changes in the world order (Geochron maps are up-to-date).

How to Tell Time With a Geochron

What about those non-standard zones we just mentioned? Simple.Those non-standard and pocketed zones have boundaries that do not extend to an arrow. Instead, they're marked with a letter and a number.

The letter, derived from international radio call letters, tells you which arrow of the Geochron to read, while the number shows you the number of minutes the region deviates from standard time. For example, the designation of India is E+30, which means you add 30 minutes to the time you read on the E pointer.

You've just completed the most difficult calculation of international time a Geochron owner ever has to compute. Congratulations.

What Day is It, Anyway?

Reading the date and day of the week is a snap with Geochron.Since the map is moving from left to right, the International Dateline crosses the frame once each day. The days, date and month observed on either side of the Dateline are each displayed via indicators mounted at the Geochron's bottom.

Whether it's the Original Kilburg, the standard, an executive model or one of our boardroom models, every single Geochron we make is hand-crafted in the United States.

Each gear is individually hand-cut to ensure optimum synchronization. Each world map is custom printed on state-of-the-art mylar film using specially-formulated inks designed to make the map resistant to ultraviolet light. And by the time each Geochron is hand-crafted for shipment anywhere, it has been personally inspected, passing through 24 designated key inspection points.

If you require a little more technical information, here are some other things to know about the Geochron.

Mounting - The Geochron can be mounted on any flat surface in the same manner as a picture. Standard surface mounting brackets are supplied. If you prefer, it can also be recessed into the wall with special flush mount brackets that must be ordered separately.The recess opening required is 33 5/8" x 21 3/8" x4". Installation instructions are supplied with each unit.

Manual controls - The Geochron has three simple control knobs. Two are located at the base of the unit and are used primarily for the initial setting. One moves the map horizontally to set the time and day of the week. It's also used to determine time of sunrise, sunset and the number of daylight hours at any location at a time other than current. The other knob sets the date indicator and light pattern. A third knob controls the minute dial located at the Geochron's upper right hand corner.

Available housing - The Geochron comes in seven laminate finishes. Princess Plonge' leather is also available, as well as custom wood housings with various accent moldings. Other custom finishes are available at additional cost. Geochron's metal trim pieces are available in a variety of anodized finishes. Specify choice when ordering. Finish samples are available upon request.

Electrical - Geochron is supplied with a choice of standard currents, including 120 and 220 volt, 50 and 60 cycle, etc.

Illumination - Uses two easily replaceable F15T8D flourescent tubes. An electric switch at the base turns the lights on or off without disturbing the timing mechanism.

Protective glass - A brilliant glass pane shields the facing side of the mylar world map.

Map credits - The Geochron map is reproduced in part from Chronoflexpositives of the U.S. Naval Oceanographic Chart #1262. Legal timezone information is based on data from the U.S. Department of Defense Mapping, Time Zone Chart #76. Delineation of the timezones and designs of the time scale are original with Geochron.