What serves as a sundial today is a modified armillary. More complex ones have additional bands, which represent the solstice and equinox positions. Armillary-spheres are manufactured of lead, cast bronze, brass, aluminum or iron. They tend to be more expensive but showier and more commanding ornaments than flat or vertical sundials. Combination sundials combine a flat style with a birdbath basin.
Vertical dials can also announce a street address or residence nameplate.
However, they came be more accurate based on how closely the angle of the gnomon off the horizontal plane matches the angle of your latitude position. For example, George Washington knew the latitude of Mt. Vernon, Virginia was 39 degrees, and he designed a flat, octagonal metal sundial with the gnomon set at 39 degrees off the horizontal. If you buy a reproduction of this sundial today, it is fairly accurate if you live in Maryland or Virginia but far less so for Florida or Minnesota. Even when your latitude corresponds to the angle of the gnomon, the dial is most accurate approximately four times a year. Clocks measure mean solar time but dials indicate apparent solar time.