Tonal system
![Nystrom's](/Images/godic/202502/16/Hexadecimal_Clock_by_Nystrom1210.jpg")
![Nystrom's hexadecimal compass](/Images/godic/202502/16/Hexadecimal_compass_by_Nystrom1210.jpg")
![A page in the tonal system book](/Images/godic/202502/16/Nystrom_tonal_system1210.jpg")
The Tonal system is a base 16 system of notation (predating hexadecimal), arithmetic, and metrology proposed in 1859 by John W. Nystrom. In addition to new weights and measures, his proposal included a new calendar with sixteen months, a new system of coinage, and a clock with sixteen major divisions of the day (called tims). Nystrom advocated his system thus: