10x9x6 In.

This is a Willis World Time Indicator clock, a fascinating object that sits at the intersection of horology, geography, and global trade in the early 20th century.

It was designed to allow its owner to read the local time in cities across the world at a glance. The dial radiates outward from the center, with major cities, ports, and colonial hubs arranged by region—Europe, Asia Minor, Africa, Australasia, North and South America. By turning the hand or setting the reference time, one could instantly know what time it was in Bombay, London, Sydney, or New York.

The mechanism here is marked “Made in France”, pointing to its manufacture in one of the French clockmaking centers (possibly Paris or Saint-Nicolas-d’Aliermont), while the design itself reflects a distinctly British/imperial geography—note the labeling of Asia Minor, Ceylon, Bombay, and Calcutta. This makes sense: such clocks were marketed to businessmen, shipping agents, and colonial administrators who needed to coordinate across far-flung territories.

Culturally, this was an object of empire and modernity. In a Bombay office or Calcutta club, it symbolised participation in global commerce, telegraph networks, and international exchange. In Europe, it spoke to the fascination with shrinking distances, as steamships and telegraphs made the world feel more interconnected.

As Is, Non-exportable

Provenance: The Estate of Mangaldas Nathubhai