diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index f434b50..8e034be 100755
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -1,24 +1,24 @@
 GIT
   remote: https://github.com/pboling/appraisal
-  revision: f5b830cb783ecb83e271c18c29c827af4986578d
+  revision: a3a3e4b7db67d9b085f96b2ffddd2b51bd8a1196
   branch: galtzo
   specs:
     appraisal (3.0.0.rc1)
       bundler (>= 1.17.3)
       rake (>= 10)
-      thor (>= 0.14.0)
+      thor (>= 0.14)
 
 PATH
   remote: .
   specs:
-    version_gem (1.1.6)
+    version_gem (1.1.7)
 
 GEM
   remote: https://rubygems.org/
   specs:
     ansi (1.5.0)
-    ast (2.4.2)
-    backports (3.25.0)
+    ast (2.4.3)
+    backports (3.25.1)
     benchmark (0.4.0)
     bigdecimal (3.1.9)
     bundler-audit (0.9.2)
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ GEM
     debug (1.10.0)
       irb (~> 1.10)
       reline (>= 0.3.8)
-    diff-lcs (1.6.0)
+    diff-lcs (1.6.1)
     diffy (3.4.3)
     docile (1.4.1)
     dry-configurable (1.3.0)
@@ -47,13 +47,13 @@ GEM
       concurrent-ruby (~> 1.0)
       dry-core (~> 1.1)
       zeitwerk (~> 2.6)
-    dry-schema (1.13.4)
+    dry-schema (1.14.1)
       concurrent-ruby (~> 1.0)
       dry-configurable (~> 1.0, >= 1.0.1)
-      dry-core (~> 1.0, < 2)
-      dry-initializer (~> 3.0)
-      dry-logic (>= 1.4, < 2)
-      dry-types (>= 1.7, < 2)
+      dry-core (~> 1.1)
+      dry-initializer (~> 3.2)
+      dry-logic (~> 1.5)
+      dry-types (~> 1.8)
       zeitwerk (~> 2.6)
     dry-types (1.8.2)
       bigdecimal (~> 3.0)
@@ -64,12 +64,12 @@ GEM
       zeitwerk (~> 2.6)
     github-markup (5.0.1)
     io-console (0.8.0)
-    irb (1.15.1)
+    irb (1.15.2)
       pp (>= 0.6.0)
       rdoc (>= 4.0.0)
       reline (>= 0.4.2)
-    json (2.10.1)
-    kettle-soup-cover (1.0.4)
+    json (2.10.2)
+    kettle-soup-cover (1.0.5)
       simplecov (~> 0.22)
       simplecov-cobertura (~> 2.1)
       simplecov-console (~> 0.9, >= 0.9.1)
@@ -80,16 +80,17 @@ GEM
       version_gem (~> 1.1, >= 1.1.4)
     language_server-protocol (3.17.0.4)
     lint_roller (1.1.0)
-    logger (1.6.6)
+    logger (1.7.0)
     method_source (1.1.0)
     ostruct (0.6.1)
     parallel (1.26.3)
-    parser (3.3.7.1)
+    parser (3.3.8.0)
       ast (~> 2.4.1)
       racc
     pp (0.6.2)
       prettyprint
     prettyprint (0.2.0)
+    prism (1.4.0)
     pry (0.15.2)
       coderay (~> 1.1)
       method_source (~> 1.0)
@@ -99,17 +100,17 @@ GEM
     racc (1.8.1)
     rainbow (3.1.1)
     rake (13.2.1)
-    rdoc (6.12.0)
+    rdoc (6.13.1)
       psych (>= 4.0.0)
-    redcarpet (3.6.0)
-    reek (6.4.0)
-      dry-schema (~> 1.13.0)
+    redcarpet (3.6.1)
+    reek (6.5.0)
+      dry-schema (~> 1.13)
       logger (~> 1.6)
       parser (~> 3.3.0)
       rainbow (>= 2.0, < 4.0)
       rexml (~> 3.1)
     regexp_parser (2.10.0)
-    reline (0.6.0)
+    reline (0.6.1)
       io-console (~> 0.5)
     rexml (3.4.1)
     rspec (3.13.0)
@@ -126,18 +127,20 @@ GEM
       diff-lcs (>= 1.2.0, < 2.0)
       rspec-support (~> 3.13.0)
     rspec-support (3.13.2)
-    rubocop (1.71.2)
+    rubocop (1.75.2)
       json (~> 2.3)
-      language_server-protocol (>= 3.17.0)
+      language_server-protocol (~> 3.17.0.2)
+      lint_roller (~> 1.1.0)
       parallel (~> 1.10)
       parser (>= 3.3.0.2)
       rainbow (>= 2.2.2, < 4.0)
       regexp_parser (>= 2.9.3, < 3.0)
-      rubocop-ast (>= 1.38.0, < 2.0)
+      rubocop-ast (>= 1.44.0, < 2.0)
       ruby-progressbar (~> 1.7)
       unicode-display_width (>= 2.4.0, < 4.0)
-    rubocop-ast (1.38.0)
-      parser (>= 3.3.1.0)
+    rubocop-ast (1.44.1)
+      parser (>= 3.3.7.2)
+      prism (~> 1.4)
     rubocop-gradual (0.3.6)
       diff-lcs (>= 1.2.0, < 2.0)
       diffy (~> 3.0)
@@ -150,15 +153,19 @@ GEM
       version_gem (>= 1.1.2, < 3)
     rubocop-md (1.2.4)
       rubocop (>= 1.45)
-    rubocop-packaging (0.5.2)
-      rubocop (>= 1.33, < 2.0)
-    rubocop-performance (1.23.1)
-      rubocop (>= 1.48.1, < 2.0)
-      rubocop-ast (>= 1.31.1, < 2.0)
-    rubocop-rake (0.6.0)
-      rubocop (~> 1.0)
-    rubocop-rspec (3.4.0)
-      rubocop (~> 1.61)
+    rubocop-packaging (0.6.0)
+      lint_roller (~> 1.1.0)
+      rubocop (>= 1.72.1, < 2.0)
+    rubocop-performance (1.25.0)
+      lint_roller (~> 1.1)
+      rubocop (>= 1.75.0, < 2.0)
+      rubocop-ast (>= 1.38.0, < 2.0)
+    rubocop-rake (0.7.1)
+      lint_roller (~> 1.1)
+      rubocop (>= 1.72.1)
+    rubocop-rspec (3.5.0)
+      lint_roller (~> 1.1)
+      rubocop (~> 1.72, >= 1.72.1)
     rubocop-ruby2_2 (2.0.5)
       rubocop-gradual (~> 0.3, >= 0.3.1)
       rubocop-md (~> 1.2)
@@ -167,10 +174,11 @@ GEM
       rubocop-thread_safety (~> 0.5, >= 0.5.1)
       standard-rubocop-lts (~> 1.0, >= 1.0.7)
       version_gem (>= 1.1.3, < 3)
-    rubocop-shopify (2.15.1)
-      rubocop (~> 1.51)
-    rubocop-thread_safety (0.6.0)
-      rubocop (>= 1.48.1)
+    rubocop-shopify (2.16.0)
+      rubocop (~> 1.62)
+    rubocop-thread_safety (0.7.2)
+      lint_roller (~> 1.1)
+      rubocop (~> 1.72, >= 1.72.1)
     ruby-progressbar (1.13.0)
     simplecov (0.22.0)
       docile (~> 1.1)
@@ -188,18 +196,18 @@ GEM
     simplecov-rcov (0.3.7)
       simplecov (>= 0.4.1)
     simplecov_json_formatter (0.1.4)
-    standard (1.45.0)
+    standard (1.49.0)
       language_server-protocol (~> 3.17.0.2)
       lint_roller (~> 1.0)
-      rubocop (~> 1.71.0)
+      rubocop (~> 1.75.2)
       standard-custom (~> 1.0.0)
-      standard-performance (~> 1.6)
+      standard-performance (~> 1.8)
     standard-custom (1.0.2)
       lint_roller (~> 1.0)
       rubocop (~> 1.50)
-    standard-performance (1.6.0)
+    standard-performance (1.8.0)
       lint_roller (~> 1.1)
-      rubocop-performance (~> 1.23.0)
+      rubocop-performance (~> 1.25.0)
     standard-rubocop-lts (1.0.10)
       rspec-block_is_expected (~> 1.0, >= 1.0.5)
       standard (>= 1.35.1, < 2)
@@ -208,7 +216,7 @@ GEM
       version_gem (>= 1.1.4, < 3)
     stone_checksums (1.0.0)
       version_gem (>= 1.1.5, < 3)
-    stringio (3.1.5)
+    stringio (3.1.6)
     terminal-table (4.0.0)
       unicode-display_width (>= 1.1.1, < 4)
     thor (1.3.2)
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 87bf215..d92c0f4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 [![Liberapay Patrons][⛳liberapay-img]][⛳liberapay]
 [![Sponsor Me on Github][🖇sponsor-img]][🖇sponsor]
 [![Buy me a coffee][🖇buyme-small-img]][🖇buyme]
-[![Polar Shield][🖇polar-img]][🖇polar]
+[![Donate on Polar][🖇polar-img]][🖇polar]
 [![Donate to my FLOSS or refugee efforts at ko-fi.com][🖇kofi-img]][🖇kofi]
 [![Donate to my FLOSS or refugee efforts using Patreon][🖇patreon-img]][🖇patreon]
 
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ If bundler is not being used to manage dependencies, install the gem by executin
 
     $ gem install version_gem
 
-## Usage
+## Basic Usage
 
 In the standard `bundle gem my_lib` code you get the following in `lib/my_lib/version.rb`:
 
@@ -162,7 +162,55 @@ end
 
 Your `version.rb` file now abides the Ruby convention of directory / path matching the namespace / class!
 
-### Zeitwerk
+## Epoch Usage (Epoch Semantic Versioning)
+
+In the standard `bundle gem my_lib` code you get the following in `lib/my_lib/version.rb`:
+
+```ruby
+module MyLib
+  VERSION = "0.1.0"
+end
+```
+
+Change it to a nested `Version` namespace (the one implied by the path => namespace convention):
+
+```ruby
+module MyLib
+  module Version
+    VERSION = "1024.3.8"
+  end
+end
+```
+
+Now add the following near the top of the file the manages requiring external libraries.
+Using the same example of `bundle gem my_lib`, this would be `lib/my_lib.rb`.
+
+```ruby
+require "version_gem"
+```
+
+Then, add the following wherever you want in the same file (recommend the bottom).
+
+```ruby
+MyLib::Version.class_eval do
+  extend VersionGem::Epoch
+end
+```
+
+And now you have some version introspection methods available:
+
+```ruby
+MyLib::Version.to_s # => "1024.3.8"
+MyLib::Version.epoch # => 1
+MyLib::Version.major # => 24
+MyLib::Version.minor # => 3
+MyLib::Version.patch # => 8
+MyLib::Version.pre # => ""
+MyLib::Version.to_a # => [1, 24, 3, 8]
+MyLib::Version.to_h # => { epoch: 1, major: 24, minor: 3, patch: 8, pre: "" }
+```
+
+## Usage with Zeitwerk
 
 The pattern of `version.rb` breaking the ruby convention of directory / path matching the namespace / class
 is so entrenched that the `zeitwerk` library has a special carve-out for it. 🥺
@@ -312,11 +360,12 @@ Also see GitLab Contributors: [https://gitlab.com/oauth-xx/version_gem/-/graphs/
 
 ## 📌 Versioning
 
-This Library adheres to [![Semantic Versioning 2.0.0][📌semver-img]][📌semver].
+This Library adheres to [![Epoch Semantic Versioning][📌semver-img]][📌semver].
 Violations of this scheme should be reported as bugs.
 Specifically, if a minor or patch version is released that breaks backward compatibility,
 a new version should be immediately released that restores compatibility.
-Breaking changes to the public API will only be introduced with new major versions.
+Breaking changes to the public API, including dropping a supported platform (i.e. minor version of Ruby), will only be introduced with new major versions.
+Epoch will only be bumped if there are dramatic changes, and that is not expected to happen ever.
 
 ### 📌 Is "Platform Support" part of the public API?
 
@@ -464,12 +513,15 @@ or one of the others at the head of this README.
 [⛳liberapay]: https://liberapay.com/pboling/donate
 [🖇sponsor-img]: https://img.shields.io/badge/Sponsor_Me!-pboling.svg?style=social&logo=github
 [🖇sponsor]: https://github.com/sponsors/pboling
-[🖇polar-img]: https://polar.sh/embed/seeks-funding-shield.svg?org=pboling
+[🖇polar-img]: https://img.shields.io/badge/polar-donate-yellow.svg
 [🖇polar]: https://polar.sh/pboling
-[🖇kofi-img]: https://img.shields.io/badge/buy_me_coffee-donate-yellow.svg
+[🖇kofi-img]: https://img.shields.io/badge/a_more_different_coffee-✓-yellow.svg
 [🖇kofi]: https://ko-fi.com/O5O86SNP4
 [🖇patreon-img]: https://img.shields.io/badge/patreon-donate-yellow.svg
 [🖇patreon]: https://patreon.com/galtzo
+[🖇buyme-img]: https://img.buymeacoffee.com/button-api/?text=Buy%20me%20a%20latte&emoji=&slug=pboling&button_colour=FFDD00&font_colour=000000&font_family=Cookie&outline_colour=000000&coffee_colour=ffffff
+[🖇buyme]: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/pboling
+[🖇buyme-small-img]: https://img.shields.io/badge/buy_me_a_coffee-✓-yellow.svg?style=flat
 [💎ruby-2.2i]: https://img.shields.io/badge/Ruby-2.2-DF00CA?style=for-the-badge&logo=ruby&logoColor=white
 [💎ruby-2.3i]: https://img.shields.io/badge/Ruby-2.3-DF00CA?style=for-the-badge&logo=ruby&logoColor=white
 [💎ruby-2.4i]: https://img.shields.io/badge/Ruby-2.4-DF00CA?style=for-the-badge&logo=ruby&logoColor=white
@@ -503,8 +555,8 @@ or one of the others at the head of this README.
 [🪇conduct]: CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md
 [🪇conduct-img]: https://img.shields.io/badge/Contributor_Covenant-2.1-4baaaa.svg
 [📌pvc]: http://guides.rubygems.org/patterns/#pessimistic-version-constraint
-[📌semver]: https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html
-[📌semver-img]: https://img.shields.io/badge/semver-2.0.0-FFDD67.svg?style=flat
+[📌semver]: https://antfu.me/posts/epoch-semver
+[📌semver-img]: https://img.shields.io/badge/epoch-semver-FFDD67.svg?style=flat
 [📌semver-breaking]: https://github.com/semver/semver/issues/716#issuecomment-869336139
 [📌major-versions-not-sacred]: https://tom.preston-werner.com/2022/05/23/major-version-numbers-are-not-sacred.html
 [📌changelog]: CHANGELOG.md
@@ -522,6 +574,3 @@ or one of the others at the head of this README.
 [📄ilo-declaration-img]: https://img.shields.io/badge/ILO_Fundamental_Principles-✓-brightgreen.svg?style=flat
 [🚎yard-current]: http://rubydoc.info/gems/version_gem
 [🚎yard-head]: https://rubydoc.info/github/oauth-xx/version_gem/main
-[🖇buyme-img]: https://img.buymeacoffee.com/button-api/?text=Buy%20me%20a%20latte&emoji=&slug=pboling&button_colour=FFDD00&font_colour=000000&font_family=Cookie&outline_colour=000000&coffee_colour=ffffff
-[🖇buyme]: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/pboling
-[🖇buyme-small-img]: https://img.shields.io/badge/Buy--Me--A--Coffee-✓-brightgreen.svg?style=flat
diff --git a/lib/version_gem.rb b/lib/version_gem.rb
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 5749edf..6caacc7
--- a/lib/version_gem.rb
+++ b/lib/version_gem.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 require_relative "version_gem/version"
 require_relative "version_gem/basic"
+require_relative "version_gem/epoch"
 
 # Namespace of this library
 module VersionGem
diff --git a/lib/version_gem/api.rb b/lib/version_gem/api.rb
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
diff --git a/lib/version_gem/epoch.rb b/lib/version_gem/epoch.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8db4472
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/version_gem/epoch.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+require_relative "error"
+require_relative "api"
+
+module VersionGem
+  # Support for Epoch Semantic Versioning
+  # See: https://antfu.me/posts/epoch-semver
+  module Epoch
+    EPOCH_SIZE = 1_000
+
+    class << self
+      def extended(base)
+        raise Error, "VERSION must be defined before 'extend #{name}'" unless defined?(base::VERSION)
+
+        base.extend(Api)
+        base.extend(OverloadApiForEpoch)
+      end
+    end
+
+    module OverloadApiForEpoch
+      # *** OVERLOAD METHODS FROM API ***
+      #
+      # The epoch version
+      #
+      # @return [Integer]
+      def epoch
+        @epoch ||= _major / EPOCH_SIZE
+      end
+
+      # The major version
+      #
+      # @return [Integer]
+      def major
+        @major ||= _major % EPOCH_SIZE
+      end
+
+      # The version number as a hash
+      #
+      # @return [Hash]
+      def to_h
+        @to_h ||= {
+          epoch: epoch,
+          major: major,
+          minor: minor,
+          patch: patch,
+          pre: pre,
+        }
+      end
+
+      # NOTE: This is not the same as _to_a, which returns an array of strings
+      #
+      # The version number as an array of cast values
+      # where epoch and major are derived from a single string:
+      #   EPOCH * 1000 + MAJOR
+      #
+      # @return [Array<[Integer, String, NilClass]>]
+      def to_a
+        @to_a ||= [epoch, major, minor, patch, pre]
+      end
+
+      private
+
+      def _major
+        @_major ||= _to_a[0].to_i
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/version_gem/rspec.rb b/lib/version_gem/rspec.rb
index 62a53d1..2fac74a 100644
--- a/lib/version_gem/rspec.rb
+++ b/lib/version_gem/rspec.rb
@@ -12,6 +12,12 @@
   end
 end
 
+RSpec::Matchers.define(:have_epoch_as_integer) do
+  match do |version_mod|
+    version_mod.epoch.is_a?(Integer)
+  end
+end
+
 RSpec::Matchers.define(:have_major_as_integer) do
   match do |version_mod|
     version_mod.major.is_a?(Integer)
@@ -52,3 +58,21 @@
     end
   end
 end
+
+RSpec.shared_examples_for("an Epoch Version module") do |version_mod|
+  it "is introspectable" do
+    aggregate_failures "introspectable api" do
+      expect(version_mod).is_a?(Module)
+      expect(version_mod).to(have_version_constant)
+      expect(version_mod).to(have_version_as_string)
+      expect(version_mod.to_s).to(be_a(String))
+      expect(version_mod).to(have_epoch_as_integer)
+      expect(version_mod).to(have_major_as_integer)
+      expect(version_mod).to(have_minor_as_integer)
+      expect(version_mod).to(have_patch_as_integer)
+      expect(version_mod).to(have_pre_as_nil_or_string)
+      expect(version_mod.to_h.keys).to(match_array(%i[epoch major minor patch pre]))
+      expect(version_mod.to_a).to(be_a(Array))
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/version_gem/version.rb b/lib/version_gem/version.rb
index d4c4f9c..2942396 100644
--- a/lib/version_gem/version.rb
+++ b/lib/version_gem/version.rb
@@ -2,11 +2,13 @@
 
 module VersionGem
   module Version
-    VERSION = "1.1.6"
+    VERSION = "1.1.7"
     # This would work in this gem, but not in external libraries,
     #   because version files are loaded in Gemspecs before bundler
     #   has a chance to load dependencies.
     # Instead, see lib/version_gem.rb for a solution that will work everywhere
     # extend VersionGem::Basic
+    #   or
+    # extend VersionGem::Epoch
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/helpers/epoch_test.rb b/spec/helpers/epoch_test.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4518c08
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/helpers/epoch_test.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# If your version file will be required by a gemspec, do not do this, instead follow README.md#usage
+module EpochTest
+  VERSION = "3012.34.56.pre-78"
+end
+
+EpochTest.class_eval do
+  extend VersionGem::Epoch
+end
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
index 6087286..fc97a7b 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -31,3 +31,4 @@
 
 # RSpec Helpers which depend on gem internals
 require_relative "helpers/under_test"
+require_relative "helpers/epoch_test"
diff --git a/spec/version_gem/epoch_spec.rb b/spec/version_gem/epoch_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8f06a01
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/version_gem/epoch_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+# If your version file will be required by a gemspec, do not do this, instead follow README.md#usage
+
+RSpec.describe(VersionGem::Epoch) do
+  it "raises when no VERSION" do
+    expect do
+      Module.new do
+        extend VersionGem::Epoch
+      end
+    end.to(raise_error(VersionGem::Error, "VERSION must be defined before 'extend VersionGem::Epoch'"))
+  end
+
+  context "when under test" do
+    subject(:epoch_test) { EpochTest }
+
+    it_behaves_like "an Epoch Version module", EpochTest
+
+    it "is greater than 0.1.0" do
+      expect(Gem::Version.new(epoch_test) > Gem::Version.new("0.1.0")).to(be(true))
+    end
+
+    it "epoch version is an integer" do
+      expect(epoch_test.epoch).to(eq(3))
+    end
+
+    it "major version is an integer" do
+      expect(epoch_test.major).to(eq(12))
+    end
+
+    it "minor version is an integer" do
+      expect(epoch_test.minor).to(eq(34))
+    end
+
+    it "patch version is an integer" do
+      expect(epoch_test.patch).to(eq(56))
+    end
+
+    it "pre version is an string" do
+      expect(epoch_test.pre).to(eq("pre-78"))
+    end
+
+    it "returns a Hash" do
+      expect(epoch_test.to_h).to(eq(epoch: 3, major: 12, minor: 34, patch: 56, pre: "pre-78"))
+    end
+
+    it "returns an Array" do
+      expect(epoch_test.to_a).to(eq([3, 12, 34, 56, "pre-78"]))
+    end
+  end
+end