Sunday, June 5, 2005

An occasional look at products the travel industry insists we need.

WHAT: Clip-on mini-clocks.

AIMED AT : Travelers divided between two time zones.

HOW MUCH: $18 to $20 for a pair.

BUT DO THEY WORK? For East Coasters visiting, say, Des Moines or Dallas, it doesn't take much brain power to do the time zone arithmetic. But travelers crossing an ocean -- or the International Dateline -- have a bigger problem. The wearable Tempo Time Tags, however, let you know at a glance the times at two separate locations -- and they don't require a 10-page manual to set. The matching timepieces are about the size of a Chiclet (you might need bifocals to read the time) and clip onto shirt cuffs, bag straps or pockets, with one facing left, the other right. Unfortunately, the clocks don't signify a.m. or p.m., so you'll have to create a system: Washington on your collar, Tokyo on your sleeve.

-- Andrea Sachs

Tempo Time Tags are available at the National Building Museum (202 272-7706,http://www.nbm.org) or through the Vessel company athttp://www.vessel-store.com.