The electric charge–magnetic dipole interaction is considered. If $\Gamma_{\rm em}$ is the electromagnetic and $\Gamma_{\rm mech}$ the mechanical angular momentum, the conservation law for the total angular momentum $\Gamma_{\rm tot}$ holds: $\Gamma_{\rm tot}$ =$\Gamma_{\rm em}$ + $\Gamma_{\rm mech}$ = ${\rm const.}$, but when the dipole moment varies with time, $\Gamma_{\rm mech}$ is not conserved. We show that the non-conserved $\Gamma_{\rm mech}$ of such a macroscopic isolated system might be experimentally observable. With advanced technology, the strength of the interaction hints to the possibility of novel applications for gyroscopes, such as the electromagnetic top.