 Torque-free precession of a symmetric top

For an axially symmetric rigid body with $I_1=I_2=I_{\perp }$ and $I_3=I_{\parallel }$, no external torque means that angular momentum $\mathbf{L}$ is fixed in an inertial frame. The axial angular velocity ${\omega }_3$ is constant by Euler equations for a torque-free rigid body, and the symmetry axis obeysIts angle to $\mathbf{L}$ is constant and it precesses in space at $L/I_{\perp }$. The transverse angular-velocity components instead rotate in body coordinates at signed rate $(I_{\parallel }-I_{\perp }){\omega }_3/I_{\perp }$. These are different frame descriptions and must not be substituted for one another.