Geochron
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Manufacturing |
| Founded | 1965 |
| Founder | James Kilburg |
| Headquarters | Oregon City , United States |
Key people | Patrick Bolan (owner as of 2015), James M. Kilburg, Bob Williamson |
| Products | Geochron Global Time Indicator (world clocks) |
Number of employees | 16 (mid-1980s) |
| Website | www |
Geochron, Inc. is a U.S.-based firm established in 1965 by Luxembourg-born inventor James Kilburg. Its premier offering, the Geochron Global Time Indicator, pioneered world clocks by depicting day and night across a global map through a unique "bell curve" representation of light and shadow. This clock incorporates a complex analog system that displays the month, date, day, hours, minutes, illuminated regions, and the sun’s meridian transit. The primary interface showcases a backlit world map where time zones are marked by arrows aligned to a fixed hour scale. As time advances, the map scrolls horizontally while illuminated and shaded areas remain stationary relative to the sun's position.
Each Geochron unit is custom-built upon order, with pricing beginning above $1,500. In 1985, President Ronald Reagan gifted a Geochron to Mikhail Gorbachev as a symbol of American innovation. By the mid-1980s, monthly sales averaged around 75 clocks, increasing to approximately 200 units during peak holiday periods, with a workforce of 16 employees.
Distinguished users include the control center for the Hubble Space Telescope at Goddard Space Flight Center and the command facility of the European Space Agency. The Smithsonian Institution characterized the Geochron as the "last significant contribution in timekeeping." This clock has been featured in motion pictures such as Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, and Three Days of the Condor.
Following founder Kilburg’s passing in 1985, his son James M. Kilburg acquired a one-third stake shortly before his father’s death. Bob Williamson purchased the remaining two-thirds and collaborated with James M. Kilburg to oversee company operations.
After many years based in Redwood City, California, Geochron Enterprises was sold in 2007 and moved to Oregon City, Oregon, where it was renamed Geochron, Inc. Ownership changed hands again in 2015 under Patrick Bolan. Under this new leadership, enhancements included updated mapsets, improved lighting options, and magnetic stepper motors. The clocks continue to be handcrafted in a small machine shop located in Oregon City. In 2019, plans were announced for relocation to Estacada, Oregon.
In 2018, Geochron launched a digital edition tailored for 4K screens that incorporates satellite tracking and demographic overlays not available before widespread internet access. All mapsets employ Mercator projection. As of late 2019, both traditional mechanical and digital models remain on offer.
References
- Geochron official website