Luxury Gifts? Make That High-End Science

Choosing by the person

For him

For a mechanics fan, look first at what he'll build. The V8 Engine Model Kit ($119.99) has 535 parts and an instruction guide for every step; once built, its pistons and crankshaft move on an electric motor and a rechargeable battery, so it's a model, not a combustion engine. The Nixie Tube Clock Kit DIY ($314.99) is assembled from diodes, transistors and wires around four IN12 tubes. The Robot Dog for Adults ($146.77) is built piece by piece from 936 parts, then moves on remote control or voice command.

For her

For her as for him, start from her tastes, not from a cliché. The Levitating Moon Lamp ($169.99) holds a laser-etched moon about half an inch above a dark wood stand, in white, warm white or yellow light. The Zen Levitating Plant Pot ($169.99) spins the plant of her choice (not included) through 360 degrees above a wood-colored base. The Smart Plant Pot ($155.99) measures humidity, light and temperature, then tells her through an app when the plant needs water.

For a kid

At this price, a kid can receive a real observation instrument. The Junior Telescope ($182.99), recommended for ages 8 and up, is a 70 mm telescope that comes with a Barlow lens, a moon filter and a phone holder. The Beginner Microscope ($119.99), also for ages 8 and up, magnifies from 64x to 2400x with its three objectives and its eyepieces, under an LED light. For the bedroom, the Starry Sky Gift Box ($139.99) brings together a planetarium projector, a magnetic solar system and a moon lamp.

For a teen

A teenager often enjoys a building challenge that keeps them busy for hours. The Wooden Marble Run Mechanical Puzzle 130 Pieces ($139.99) has 130 pieces and takes about two hours to assemble, before its marbles roll under LED lights. The 3D Puzzle Solar System ($144.99) brings together 316 wooden pieces, for 7 to 9 hours of building. The Robot Car Toy ($169.99), also to assemble, is driven from an app and films its route with its Wi-Fi camera.

For a grandparent

For a grandparent, a vintage-inspired instrument quickly finds its place in the home. The Scientist's Instruments Gift Box ($131.99) gathers a crystal storm glass, a Galileo thermometer and a Crookes radiometer whose vanes spin in sunlight. The Galileo Globe Thermometer ($104.99) reads the temperature from 64 to 82°F with five spheres, in a glass globe on wood. The Large Galileo Thermometer ($182.99) works on a principle born in the 17th century: the density of its liquid changes with the heat, and its 11 balls move in a 25-inch tube.

What you'll find over $100

Luxury or high-end: what you're paying for

No object in this selection carries the label of a luxury house, and this page would rather say so plainly. The price comes from something else: the size of a 25-inch thermometer, the brass of a gyroscope that spins at 12,000 rpm, the glowing tubes of a Nixie clock, an engine that runs on the heat of a wick. You won't find jewelry, leather goods or personalized engraving here. If the budget feels too high, our selection from $50 to $100 keeps the same spirit, and our gift boxes already bring several matching objects together.