Handcrafted Wanderers Orrery -- semi-precious stone, or brass, Sun and planets .

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For auction this clockwork depiction of our solar system, known to enthusiasts as an orrery. We have been producing this unit for twenty years (engineered by us), continually improving on design and aesthetic. Each unit is handcrafted from raw materials; the only prefabricated part is the DC drive motor inside the base, and even that goes through some modification before it is suitable for such a unique product. We make the gears and the clockwork ourselves. Each unit is truly a labor of love, with an attention to detail and dedication to perfection easily likened to the creation of the highest quality musical instruments. The semi-precious stone planets and moons come from around the world, and are hand picked for our units. Their natural subtleties ensures that your celestial bodies will be unique. (customer may also choose brass planets and Sun) As you may imagine, orreries are somewhat of a niche item in the global market, and aside from mass-produced plastic models or pre-assembled DIY kits, one can easily expect to pay thousands of dollars for an artisan crafted piece. We offer this unit -- and all our science instruments -- at a price which defies usual pricing standards. Specifications follow below, with the video of the Wanderers in action: Clockwork depiction of correct relative orbital speeds of all nine planets (yes, nine). Solid oak base (wherein sits hidden drive motor and battery compartment) Runs for 2 months "on" time on 2 "C" batteries (included). On/off switch is located at side. Mercury orbits once in 6 seconds, Pluto orbits once every 4 hours. Planets and Sun are EITHER beautiful semi-precious stones closely resembling actual planet colors (planet list of stones is included). OR BRASS (moons are always stone even on brass planet set). Buyers, please indicate which set you prefer. ( Note : We also now fashion Uranus and Pluto with a bend in the wire to depict their tilt with respect to the plane of the ecliptic. The pictures shown are older photography). Twenty-two semi-precious stone moons are depicted; moons are static as the host planets traverse in their discreet orbits. Clockwork mechanism is located under glass dome (removable). Moving gearworks is completely visible within. Gears are cast bronze resin, with brass topcoat (very beautiful). Drive gear, unseen underneath, is brass coated nylon. Entire unit assembles in about 2 minutes. Owner's manual/assembly instructions and 90 day warranty included. Fully assembled unit is 16" high and spans a radius--Sun to Pluto--of 12" This handcrafted orrery is made by us . We are science instrument makers for 20 years. The ebay auction price, BUY-IT-NOW price, is $595 USD. All international orders are securely double boxed. PLEASE NOTE: Due to the nature of this craft, and the extensive labor put into each unit, we do NOT have these lying around on shelves. Upon bidding, you are commissioning an art piece. We are sellers of good repute on Ebay, and have many more satisfied customers in years past through several national catalogs. We value your patronage and your trust, and you will not be disappointed. Please do email us with any questions or comments, we'd love to hear from you. FREE INTERNATIONAL and DOMESTIC shipping [NOTE: CUSTOMER PAYS DUTY this is not absorbed by us] "I know I can never look upon the stars without wondering why the whole world does not become astronomers." - Thomas Wright, read more

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