  We hereby propose an alternative and additional angle on the nature of
gravitational waves (GWs), postulating the theoretical and experimental
possibility that GWs carry a deformation of the time component of spacetime,
other than the spatial one. By explicitly working outside of the
transverse-traceless gauge, we propose how events with welldefined time
duration, when hit by a GW, would consequently be expected to show a difference
in their characteristic time, as measured from the rest frame of an outside
observer,whose clock is to remain unaffected by the GW. This constitutes a
theoretically viable way in the sense of detecting the passing of the wave
itself and may prove relevant as a standalone method for GWs detection other
than laser interferometers, or as well be implemented as a complementary but
independent system of signal triggering, improving the statistical significance
of existing methods. A simple but physically realistic scenario in which the
appropriate conditions for the generation and detection of GWs with time
dilation are met is presented, along with the conceptual design of an
experimental detector.
