Magnetic Spinning Top Desk Toy

A moulded plastic top, shaped like two cones joined at the waist, sitting in a curved cradle on a weighted base. Magnets in the base hold it clear of the cradle and a clear upright plate at one end locates the tip, so once you flick it there is almost nothing left touching it and it keeps turning for a long while.

The manufacturer calls this perpetual motion. It is not, and nothing is. There is no motor and no battery in here — you start it by hand, and friction and air eventually stop it. It just takes its time about it, which is the whole point of having one on a desk.

Details

• Base about 12.5 x 8 cm; the top is about 13.5 cm long and 3.7 cm tall
• No batteries and no motor — hand-started
• Magnetic cradle with a clear upright plate to locate the tip
• Four colourways: black and white, blue and white, red and blue, red and white

Contains magnets, and the manufacturer rates it 14+. Keep it away from anyone likely to swallow a part, and away from cards and anything else magnets upset.