A gimmick denotes a specially prepared device or mechanism designed to facilitate a trick or illusion, hidden from the audience’s view to maintain the mystery of the performance. A gimmick represents an ingenious contrivance, distinct from ordinary props, crafted to execute effects that appear impossible through natural means.

In magical practice, gimmicks create visual and conceptual deceptions. Unlike standard props such as a deck of cards, a gimmick is a bespoke or modified object, like a pre-arranged or gaffed card deck or a hidden mechanical apparatus, engineered for an effects such as a transformation or restoration.

The potency of a gimmick lies in its ability to produce memorable, high-impact illusions. Magicians leverage these tools to craft moments of astonishment, such as a deck visually shifting colors, leaving a single card distinct, achieved through clever pre-arrangement. While offering striking effects, gimmick-based tricks are not suited for impromptu settings due to the preparation required; still, though a gimmick requires special set-up prior to performing, some miracles, impossible by sleight-of-hand or misdirection, can be achieved only by gimmickry.