diff --git a/src/preserves.nim b/src/preserves.nim
index e1395d1..12ae622 100644
--- a/src/preserves.nim
+++ b/src/preserves.nim
@@ -236,19 +236,6 @@ proc symbol*(s: string): Preserve {.inline.} =
   ## Symbol constructor.
   Preserve(kind: pkSymbol, symbol: s)
 
-proc initRecord*(label: Preserve; args: varargs[Preserve]): Preserve =
-  ## Record constructor.
-  result = Preserve(kind: pkRecord,
-      record: newSeqOfCap[Preserve](1+args.len))
-  for arg in args:
-    assertValid(arg)
-    result.record.add(arg)
-  result.record.add(label)
-
-proc initRecord*(label: string; args: varargs[Preserve]): Preserve {.inline.} =
-  ## Record constructor that converts ``label`` to a symbol.
-  initRecord(symbol(label), args)
-
 proc label*(prs: Preserve): Preserve {.inline.} =
   ## Return the label of a record value.
   prs.record[prs.record.high]
@@ -612,32 +599,6 @@ proc preserveTo*(prs: Preserve; T: typedesc): T =
   ## Reverse of `toPreserve`.
   fromPreserve(result, prs)
 
-type RecordClass* = object
-  ## Type of a preserves record.
-  label*: Preserve
-  arity*: Natural
-
-proc `$`*(rec: RecordClass): string =
-  $rec.label & "/" & $rec.arity
-
-proc init*(rec: RecordClass; fields: varargs[Preserve]): Preserve =
-  ## Initialize a new record value.
-  assert(fields.len == rec.arity)
-  result = initRecord(rec.label, fields)
-
-proc isClassOf*(rec: RecordClass; val: Preserve): bool =
-  ## Compare the label and arity of ``val`` to the record type ``rec``.
-  if val.kind == pkRecord:
-    assert(val.record.len > 0)
-    result = val.label == rec.label and rec.arity == val.arity
-
-proc classOf*(val: Preserve): RecordClass =
-  ## Derive the ``RecordClass`` of ``val``.
-  if val.kind != pkRecord:
-    raise newException(ValueError, "cannot derive class of non-record value " & $val)
-  assert(val.record.len > 0)
-  RecordClass(label: val.label, arity: val.arity)
-
 proc len*(prs: Preserve): int =
   ## Return the number of values one level below ``prs``.
   case prs.kind
diff --git a/src/preserves/records.nim b/src/preserves/records.nim
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fe594e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/preserves/records.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: ISC
+
+import std/[macros, typetraits]
+import ../preserves
+
+proc initRecord*(label: Preserve; args: varargs[Preserve, toPreserve]): Preserve =
+  ## Record constructor.
+  result = Preserve(kind: pkRecord,
+      record: newSeqOfCap[Preserve](1+args.len))
+  for arg in args:
+    assertValid(arg)
+    result.record.add(arg)
+  result.record.add(label)
+
+proc initRecord*(label: string; args: varargs[Preserve, toPreserve]): Preserve {.inline.} =
+  ## Record constructor that converts ``label`` to a symbol.
+  initRecord(symbol(label), args)
+
+type RecordClass* = object
+  ## Type of a preserves record.
+  label*: Preserve
+  arity*: Natural
+
+proc `$`*(rec: RecordClass): string =
+  $rec.label & "/" & $rec.arity
+
+proc init*(rec: RecordClass; fields: varargs[Preserve, toPreserve]): Preserve =
+  ## Initialize a new record value.
+  assert(fields.len == rec.arity)
+  result = initRecord(rec.label, fields)
+
+proc isClassOf*(rec: RecordClass; val: Preserve): bool =
+  ## Compare the label and arity of ``val`` to the record type ``rec``.
+  if val.kind == pkRecord:
+    assert(val.record.len > 0)
+    result = val.label == rec.label and rec.arity == val.arity
+
+proc classOf*(val: Preserve): RecordClass =
+  ## Derive the ``RecordClass`` of ``val``.
+  if val.kind != pkRecord:
+    raise newException(Defect, "cannot derive class of non-record value " & $val)
+  assert(val.record.len > 0)
+  RecordClass(label: val.label, arity: val.arity)
+
+proc classOf*[T](x: T): RecordClass =
+  ## Derive the ``RecordClass`` of ``T``.
+  # TODO: would be nice to get the class of a type without an instance.
+  when not T.hasCustomPragma(record):
+    raise newException(Defect, "{.record: \"…\".} must be present to determine classOf")
+  else:
+    result.label = preserves.symbol(T.getCustomPragmaVal(record))
+    for k, v in x.fieldPairs: inc(result.arity)
diff --git a/tests/test_conversions.nim b/tests/test_conversions.nim
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6ac4034
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_conversions.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: ISC
+
+import streams, strutils, unittest
+import bigints, preserves, preserves/records
+
+suite "conversions":
+  test "dictionary":
+    type Bar = tuple
+      s: string
+    type Foobar = object
+      a, b: int
+      c: Bar
+    let
+      c = Foobar(a: 1, b: 2, c: (s: "ku",))
+      b = toPreserve(c)
+      a = preserveTo(b, Foobar)
+    check(a == c)
+    check(b.kind == pkDictionary)
+    expect Defect:
+      checkpoint $classOf(c)
+
+  test "records":
+    type Bar {.record: "bar".} = tuple
+      s: string
+    type Foobar {.record: "foo".} = object
+      a, b: int
+      c: Bar
+    let
+      c = Foobar(a: 1, b: 2, c: (s: "ku",))
+      b = toPreserve(c)
+      a = preserveTo(b, Foobar)
+    check(a == c)
+    check(b.kind == pkRecord)
+    check(classOf(c) == RecordClass(label: symbol"foo", arity: 3))