Chatter ring
{{Short description|New Zealand toy}}
{{Infobox toy
|name = Chatter ring
|image = 180px
|caption = A boy playing with a ring
|othernames = Gyro Ring, Jitter ring
|type =
|inventor =
|country = New Zealand
|company =
|from = 1990s
|to = present
|materials = metal ring, beads
|slogan =
|website =
}}
A chatter ring (also known as a gyro ring or jitter ring) is a New Zealand toy ring of thick metal wire with several beads. The toy is used by swiping the beads to get them spinning, while keeping the ring turning.[http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/blogs/procrastinator/6055121/Chatter-rings-The-fad-that-needs-to-die Chatter rings: The fad that needs to die] Around fifty thousand rings were purchased in New Zealand at department stores, street markets and dairies in 1996,[http://www.scoopit.co.nz/story.php?title=jitter-ring-vs-chatter-ring-%E2%80%93-what-is-the-difference Jitter Ring Vs. chatter ring – what is the difference?] {{webarchive |url=https://archive.today/20130413231827/http://www.scoopit.co.nz/story.php?title=jitter-ring-vs-chatter-ring-%E2%80%93-what-is-the-difference |date=April 13, 2013 }} and was a popular Christmas gift for children that year.[http://www.knowledge-basket.co.nz/search/doc_view.php?d5=ffx95-03/text/1996/12/18/doc00001.html Children talk chatter rings] {{subscription required}} During this time, there were several mentions of chatter rings on both radio and television.[https://archive.today/20130413233558/http://secure.scoop.co.nz/story.php?title=putting-a-face-to-a-name-the-jitter-ring-on-facebook Putting a Face to a Name: The Jitter Ring on Facebook]
2011 revival
The toys were originally popular in the 1990s, and had a revival in 2011 when Apple Activities Educational Toys hosted the Hawke's Bay Chatter Ring Reunion in Hastings.{{Cite web |url=http://www.hawkesbaytoday.co.nz/news/chatter-rings-return-to-hawkes-bay/1049104/ |title=Chatter Rings return to Hawke's Bay |access-date=2013-03-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130531131445/http://www.hawkesbaytoday.co.nz/news/chatter-rings-return-to-hawkes-bay/1049104/ |archive-date=2013-05-31 |url-status=dead }} Prizes were awarded in a lucky dip as well as for winners of a number of categories such as best performance, oldest verifiable ring, youngest player and oldest player.[http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1103/S00795/hawkes-bay-chatter-ring-reunion-2011.htm Hawkes Bay Chatter Ring Reunion 2011]
Toshiaki Sasaki, recognised as the world's number one chatter ring player, visited New Zealand for a twelve-day tour to support and promote the re-release of the rings.[http://www.scoopit.co.nz/story.php?title=world-no-1-chatter-ring-player-visiting-new-zealand-may-5%7E17 World No. 1 chatter ring player visiting New Zealand May 5~17] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130207181124/http://www.scoopit.co.nz/story.php?title=world-no-1-chatter-ring-player-visiting-new-zealand-may-5~17 |date=February 7, 2013 }} The chatter ring has been played with by the former Mayor of Invercargill Tim Shadbolt.[http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/5134417/Southern-film-makers-shoot-to-success-in-48-hour-production Southern film-makers shoot to success in 48-hour production]
A new generation of chatter rings was launched{{when|date=May 2013}} by Murray Potts who described the unveiling of his newly developed and produced jitter rings as a case of "what goes around comes around". Potts had previously made them commercially, working out of Japan. He later worked with a toy maker in Taiwan to produce the new jitter rings and along with Hawaii, both New Zealand and Taiwan became the first locations to experience the toy.{{Cite web |url=http://www.hawkesbaytoday.co.nz/news/toy-with-familiar-ring-gets-jittery-makeover/1052688/ |title=Toy with familiar ring gets jittery makeover |access-date=2013-03-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130531131807/http://www.hawkesbaytoday.co.nz/news/toy-with-familiar-ring-gets-jittery-makeover/1052688/ |archive-date=2013-05-31 |url-status=dead }}
Chatter ring performances were included on an episode of New Zealand children's television series What Now [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9q6SPRwmLY What Now - Kyle Chen's Jitter Ring tricks] and at department store Farmers.[http://www.eventfinder.co.nz/2011/jitter-ring-demonstration/auckland/north-shore Jitter Ring Demonstration]
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://blog.idphys.fr/2012/anneau-bavard/ L'anneau bavard, a.k.a. Chattering, a.k.a. Jitter ring]
- [http://www.rose-hulman.edu/~moloney/AppComp/2001Entries/e04a/chatteringtoy.htm Apparatus Demonstrating the Dynamics of the Chatter Ring Toy]
- [http://jaringa.web.fc2.com/index-e.html Japan Chatter Ring Association]
- [http://www.fascinations.com Gyro Ring Fascinations]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20130208003739/http://jitterring.co.nz/ Jitter Ring Official Website]