{"product_id":"handcrafted-wooden-sea-turtle-automaton","title":"Handcrafted Wooden Sea Turtle Automaton","description":"\u003cp\u003eA sea turtle moves through water the way almost nothing else does — slowly, without urgency, covering ground anyway. The Wooden Sea Turtle Automaton is built around that one quality. Set it on a desk or a shelf, switch it on, and the flippers begin sweeping in long, even strokes. It is the kind of motion you can watch for a minute and come back to your work steadier than you left it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow it moves\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInside the shell, a small motor turns a set of hand-fitted cams and linkages — the same mechanical idea automaton makers have used for centuries, just with the handle taken out of the equation. The linkage is timed so the flippers sweep rather than simply flap, which is what gives the movement its swimming quality instead of a flat back-and-forth. There is nothing to crank and nothing to wind: the battery recharges over USB-C with the included cable, so you switch it on when you want the motion and leave it be when you do not.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMaterials and finish\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eShell:\u003c\/strong\u003e deep-toned walnut, hand-shaped and polished\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBody and flippers:\u003c\/strong\u003e pale beech, for contrast against the shell\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eConstruction:\u003c\/strong\u003e solid hardwood throughout — assembled, tuned and tested by hand before it ships\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePower:\u003c\/strong\u003e internal rechargeable battery, USB-C cable included\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSound:\u003c\/strong\u003e non-music version — quiet enough for a working desk\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFinish:\u003c\/strong\u003e natural grain, so no two turtles are marked quite the same\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWho it suits as a gift\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt lands well with the diver, the aquarium keeper, the person whose whole house already leans coastal, and anyone who has ever stood too long at a turtle tank. Because it arrives finished and tested, there is nothing to assemble and nothing to explain — it works the moment it comes out of the box, which is more than most gifts manage. It sits naturally beside the rest of our \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/ocean-decor-gifts\"\u003eocean decor and gifts\u003c\/a\u003e, and alongside the other \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/kinetic-desk-sculptures\"\u003ekinetic desk sculptures\u003c\/a\u003e if you want a set that moves. New to the craft? Start with our guide to \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/news\/what-is-a-wooden-automaton-history-mechanics-why-they-calm-us\"\u003ewhat a wooden automaton is\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions, answered\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDo I have to turn a crank?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo. A quiet internal motor drives the mechanism — you switch it on and it runs on its own.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow does it charge?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThrough the included USB-C cable. There are no disposable batteries to keep buying.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it loud enough to notice in an office?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt is a non-music piece built to run quietly; up close you will hear a faint mechanical whisper and little else.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"TimberTide","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48249928417498,"sku":null,"price":148.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0698\/5790\/2810\/files\/1_dea498f5-b876-490b-b13b-6bbaa064a7c6.webp?v=1784583565","url":"https:\/\/timbertideart.com\/products\/handcrafted-wooden-sea-turtle-automaton","provider":"TimberTide","version":"1.0","type":"link"}