OK - I've found the same song sheet as everyone else now.

As far as I can see, the IMAP protocol doesn't include an operation to ask the server what it thinks the time is. Perhaps I've missed something?

I can think of a couple of other ideas, but I don't really like them...

• Use NTP (Network Time Protocol) to ask the server, which should be fine so long as the server is running an NTP server as well as IMAP server and the firewall doesn't block it. Are you able to influence these factors at all?
  Timezone issues? Dunno.
• Create a message on the server, query it's date, and delete the message again. Sorry.

If you excuse me, I feel a little nauseous...