The Ghost Top becomes transparent when spun

Oct 25, 2014 07:37 GMT  ·  By

Spinning tops are some of the coolest toys ever, and it's no wonder that many watch and clock gears are so often used as toys instead of their intended role. Actual spinning tops still tend to perform better though, and Michiel Cornelissen pounced on that.

Of course, you could argue that this is debatable, since some spinning tops are just makeshift imitations of the real thing.

We ourselves encountered clock gears that lasted for a lot longer upon being spun on their tips than actual spinning tops. We suppose the balance is inherent to the precision needed by mechanical chronometers. Also, the very small tip that such things usually possess works in their favor.

Still, mechanical designers and toy makers can still make spinning tops that spin longer if they know what they're doing, as Michiel Cornelissen definitely knew what he was doing when he created the Ghost Top.

The Ghost Top's main assets

Being made out of stainless steel is one. It provides enough weight and homogeneity so that no side of the object weigh more than the other.

The means used to produce it is more important though: 3D printing technology. The Ghost Top was fully made via additive manufacturing.

It might sound strange to think that expensive and rare metal SLS printing technology (selective laser sintering) would be employed for something so trivial.

However, with the strides that SLS technology has made towards becoming affordable to the common man, it was only a matter of time before toy makers started to use it.

You might also want to pay close attention to the unique shape that the designer chose. The Ghost Top is made from two intertwined spirals which look pretty cool when the thing is just lying there. But once you twist it and let it spin, the Ghost becomes almost transparent, hence its name.

So you have both the efficiency inherent in the shape, as well as the benefit of the item becoming more and more invisible the faster it revolves around its own axis.

Availability and Pricing

The Ghost Top weighs 10 grams / 0.35 ounces and measures 1.356 x 1.277 x 1.268 inches / 35 x 32 x 32 mm. It has a price of $19.75 / €15.59. There's a smaller version too, though, at 1.017 x 0.958 x 0.951 inches / 26 x 24.15 x 24.13 mm and 4 grams / 0.14 ounces, priced at $15 / €12.

The best time achieved on one of these things has been of one and a half minutes if you can believe it. Let us know if you manage to beat that mark.