Custom Sundials Engraved with Your Site's Coordinates: A Guide for Museum and Heritage Shops

Quick answer: A sundial tells time by the Sun, and the time it shows depends on where it stands. That makes your site's coordinates a natural thing to engrave on a sundial souvenir: they are not just decoration, they explain the instrument. Engrave the latitude and longitude with N/S and E/W letters, add your site's name or a year, and put a short card in the box that tells visitors what the numbers mean. OakiWay engraves brass sundials for museum and heritage shops from 100 units on most products.

Why coordinates fit a sundial

Most souvenirs carry coordinates as decoration. On a sundial, they describe how it works:

• Longitude (east–west) changes the time. The Sun moves across the sky by one degree of longitude every 4 minutes. So a sundial a few degrees west of another shows a slightly earlier time. Your clock, by contrast, shows the same time across the whole time zone.
• Latitude (north–south) changes the shadow. The farther you are from the equator, the lower the Sun climbs in the sky, which changes how a shadow falls on a dial.

In short: the coordinates on the lid tell visitors exactly where "their" sun time comes from.

A simple example

Illustrative site, not a real project. A site at 80°W is in the US Eastern time zone, whose clocks are set to 75°W. It is 5 degrees west, so its sun time runs about 5 × 4 = 20 minutes behind the clock. A visitor who adds 20 minutes is already much closer to clock time. Our sundial guide explains the other two small corrections (the time of year, and daylight saving time).

Greenwich, the home of the prime meridian at 0° longitude, is the easiest case: there, a sundial needs no longitude correction against Greenwich Mean Time, only the time-of-year one.

How to write the coordinates

• Degrees and minutes are enough. For example: 41°00′N 80°00′W. One minute of latitude is only about 1.15 miles, according to the US Geological Survey, so you do not need seconds or long decimals.
• Use letters, not minus signs. "W" and "S" are easier to read on brass than a small minus sign.
• Double-check the numbers. Take them from a GPS or map reading at the site, and have a second person check the digits and letters before you approve the design.
• Keep it short. Lid space is limited. A site name, the coordinates and a year usually look best. The free sample shows you exactly how it will read.

What to engrave with the coordinates

• Your site or landmark name
• A founding or anniversary year
• A short motto or quote
• Your logo

Logos, inscriptions, dates, coordinates, artwork and custom finishes are all options on our Museum & Heritage page.

Add a story card

A small printed card in the box turns the numbers into an activity: "These are our coordinates. Here is why your sundial reads a little differently from your phone." You can base it on our guide to how to use a sundial compass. Story cards, inserts and custom boxes are part of our packaging options.

Good to know

• The engraving is a keepsake. Engraving coordinates on the lid does not change how the sundial works or tune it to your site.
• Sun time is not clock time. A sundial gives an approximate reading; it gets closer to the clock once visitors apply the corrections in our guide.
• The compass points to magnetic north. In most places that is not exactly true north, which is one more reason a pocket sundial reads approximately.

Saying this on the card makes the souvenir more honest, and the "why is it different?" question is part of the fun.

Our sundials

OakiWay makes sundials in several designs. Some have a fold-up arm that casts the shadow; others are built differently. Most can carry your coordinates on the lid or case; we will confirm which designs suit your text and suggest the best fit for your story and price. Two examples from our shop:

• Brass Sundial Compass in Leather Case: 2.7-inch or 4.1-inch, with instructions and gift packaging.
• Anniversary Sundial Compass: polished brass in a mango-wood case with a glass top.

See more in our Compasses & Sundials collection and our guide for museum and heritage shops.

Order terms

As listed on our Museum & Heritage page: custom engraving from 100 units on most products, and typically 2–4 weeks of production after you approve the sample. Samples are free, we ship internationally, and volume pricing is available. We confirm what applies to your project in the quote.

FAQ

Can you engrave our site's coordinates on a sundial?

Yes. Coordinates are one of our custom options, along with logos, dates, quotes and artwork.

Will the sundial show the exact time at our site?

It shows sun time, which is close to clock time but not the same. The card and our sundial guide explain the simple corrections.

What is the minimum order?

Custom engraving starts from 100 units on most products. Production typically takes 2–4 weeks after you approve the free sample.

Do you also engrave compasses for corporate or award gifts?

Yes. See our guide to custom engraved compasses for corporate and award gifts.

Start a project: send your site name, coordinates, quantity and timing through the form on our Museum & Heritage page or the quote form on our wholesale page. Our guide to how a custom brass order works explains each step.

Sources: US Geological Survey, How much distance does a degree, minute, and second cover on your maps?; Royal Museums Greenwich, Prime Meridian at Greenwich; NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, The Sundial; British Sundial Society. Order terms as published on our Museum & Heritage page on October 16, 2026.