AGELOCER has introduced a new pair of timepieces, the "Ice Never Melts" Free-sprung Crystal Tourbillon, which brings a high-complication movement into a housing of complete transparency. The watch, offered in two variations, is a direct statement on material science and movement architecture, built around a concept of visual weightlessness. The design features a fully skeletonized caliber suspended within a clear crystal case, creating an effect of the mechanism floating on the wrist. This release attempts to bridge the high-tech world of modern horology with a message of environmental awareness.
The brand behind this creation, AGELOCER, is a Chinese watch company established in 2013. In the years since its founding, the brand has focused heavily on original design and, more significantly, on the independent research and development of its own movements. This is a path that requires substantial investment and technical expertise, setting it apart from many newer brands. AGELOCER's guiding philosophy is "Always Surprise," a concept it backs with a growing portfolio of over 100 invention and design patents, as well as 24 international design awards. The company has been vocal about its ambition to redefine and elevate the perception of modern Chinese watchmaking.
Courtesy of AGELOCER
This ambition is not just a marketing slogan; it is a core part of the company's identity, driven by its founder, Mr. Ye. The brand's philosophy rejects the idea of lowering standards, instead pouring resources into creating unique and technically proficient movements. This includes investing in high-end manufacturing equipment, such as five-axis machine tools and CNC machining centers, to achieve the precision required for complex components. While the "Ice Never Melts" watch uses a novel crystal material, the brand's wider catalog shows a willingness to experiment with materials like precision-polished zirconia ceramic, demonstrating a focus on material science as a key differentiator.
To lend international design credibility to this new project, AGELOCER collaborated with Etienne Ruffieux. Mr. Ruffieux has a notable background in the luxury sector, having worked with established names like Zenith, Parmigiani, and Gucci. His involvement brings a European design sensibility to the watch's construction. The movement's open-worked, architectural layout, which removes all non-essential material to create a "floating castle," reflects a modern, structured aesthetic that aligns with his previous work in the high-luxury space. The design intentionally removes the traditional dial to expose the light and shadow interplay across the skeletonized components.
The "Ice Never Melts" name is the conceptual anchor for the watch. It was created to commemorate World Glacier Day and to draw attention to climate change and the melting of global glaciers. The transparent, "icy" appearance is a direct visual metaphor for this theme. AGELOCER has stated that for every "Ice Watch" sold, it will donate $10 to the World Environmental Protection Organization. This initiative attempts to tie the physical object to a broader environmental cause, making the watch a token dedicated to glacier conservation, according to the brand.
The watch's most defining feature is its case. It is not crafted from the more common sapphire, but from a material AGELOCER calls its high-tech crystal, specifically a form of K9 crystal. This material undergoes a specialized process, including ion exchange, high-temperature annealing at 1100°C, and a final surface coating of silicon carbide. This treatment is claimed to give the case a Mohs hardness of 8, making it highly scratch-resistant, though still slightly less so than sapphire (which is a 9). The trade-off is a material that can be crafted at a more accessible price point while still offering exceptional clarity.
Courtesy of AGELOCER
Visually, the 42.5mm crystal case is striking. It boasts an ultra-high light transmittance of up to 95%, making it almost completely invisible from certain angles. The material is faceted using CNC diamond cutting with a precision of 0.001mm, allowing light to refract through the case body in a way that metal cannot. The entire watch head is paired with a lightweight strap, bringing the total weight to a mere 75-76 grams. This lightness contributes significantly to the wearing experience, reinforcing the "ice" theme by feeling almost weightless on the wrist.
With no traditional dial, the watch's face is the movement. The Cal.A9001 is presented in a fully hollowed-out, double-sided skeleton structure. This design choice not only showcases the mechanical internals but also serves an environmental purpose, as the brand notes it saves 38 grams of copper alloy and reduces the metal usage and electroplating wastewater associated with producing a standard dial. The wearer can see straight through the watch, with the bridges and gear train forming a complex, mechanical sculpture.
The watch is available in two distinct versions. The first, reference 9101S11, features bridges and mainplates treated with a black coating. This gives the watch a stark, technical, and industrial look. The dark structure contrasts sharply with the bright pops of red from the 25 ruby jewels and the polished metal of the gears. The golden-toned balance wheel and tourbillon cage at the 6 o'clock position stand out prominently against the dark backdrop.
The second version, reference 9104S11, uses a vibrant, metallic blue for its bridges. This colorway leans more heavily into the glacial theme, evoking the deep, cold blue seen in arctic ice. The blue finish provides a high-contrast, energetic look against the clear case and white silicone strap. Both models feature sapphire glass on the front and case back, treated with an anti-glare coating to maximize the clarity and transparency of the view.
Legibility on a fully skeletonized watch can be a challenge, but AGELOCER addresses this with applied hour markers on the outer flange ring and two distinct, sword-shaped hands. To ensure visibility in low light, the hands and markers are treated with Swiss Super-LumiNova®. The brand opted for an "ice blue" luminescent material, a choice that matches the watch's core theme and provides a bright, long-lasting glow after exposure to light.
Courtesy of AGELOCER
The mechanical heart of the watch is the Cal.A9001 movement, which AGELOCER presents as China's first mass-produced free-sprung flying tourbillon. The tourbillon itself is one of horology's major complications, originally designed to average out gravitational errors on the escapement by placing it in a rotating cage. It is a visual spectacle and a mark of high watchmaking, and its inclusion here is central to the watch's identity.
This movement features a flying tourbillon, which adds another layer of visual complexity. Unlike a traditional tourbillon, which is held in place by a bridge on both the top and bottom, a flying tourbillon is cantilevered, supported only from below. This removes the top bridge, offering a completely unobstructed view of the rotating cage, balance, and escapement. In a watch with a crystal case, this detail is magnified, truly making the tourbillon appear to "fly" inside the watch.
Perhaps the most significant technical feature, however, is the free-sprung balance. In a traditional watch movement, the rate is adjusted by changing the effective length of the hairspring via a regulator clamp (or index). A free-sprung system eliminates this clamp entirely. Instead, the rate is adjusted by turning small weights or screws located directly on the balance wheel itself. This design is more stable, less susceptible to errors caused by shocks or positional changes, and is considered superior for maintaining long-term accuracy. It is a feature typically reserved for high-end, chronometer-grade Swiss movements.
The movement's performance specifications are equally robust. It boasts an impressive 80-hour power reserve, double the ~40-hour standard common in the industry. This is achieved through a patented double-barrel linkage system. Using two mainsprings not only increases the total power storage but also allows the energy to be released more evenly and stably, which contributes to the movement's overall stability and accuracy. The movement operates at a modern frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour (4Hz) and uses a Novodiac suspension system for shock protection.
AGELOCER has engineered this movement to perform reliably, stating a daily timekeeping error controlled within ±15 seconds. The 25 ruby bearings (jewels) are essential to this performance, placed at high-friction points throughout the gear train and escapement to reduce wear and improve the efficiency of power transmission. This ensures the movement can maintain its performance over long periods of use.
Courtesy of AGELOCER
The watch is secured to the wrist with a 22mm strap made from food-grade, environmentally friendly silicone. This material was chosen for its durability and comfort. It is light, flexible, waterproof, odor-proof, heat-resistant, and resistant to aging, making it a practical choice for a watch that can be worn in various environments, from sports to daily activities. The watch's 50-meter (5ATM) water resistance rating supports this versatility, making it safe from splashes and brief immersion.
The brand places a heavy emphasis on its manufacturing and quality control process, which it claims is far more rigorous than the industry standard. Each of these timepieces reportedly undergoes over 500 hours of crafting. Unlike the 5% random sampling common in electronics, AGELOCER employs a 100% full inspection method for every watch. This process is extensive and includes a battery of tests to ensure durability and precision.
Each finished watch head is subjected to multiple waterproof tests, including air pressure, water pressure, and even tests for resistance to water temperature changes and condensation. This is a crucial step for a case made of crystal, as sealing is paramount. Furthermore, every movement is adjusted for precision, followed by a 192-hour (8-day) simulated wearing test on an automatic winder, which records the timing in four different positions to screen out any unqualified products.
Before final assembly, the movements and semi-finished products undergo a 30-minute low-temperature dehumidification treatment and a micro-vacuuming process. This ensures the interior of the watch is as dry and clean as possible, a critical step for preventing fogging in a transparent case and extending the life of the movement. This level of meticulous, multi-stage testing is designed to build confidence in the product's long-term reliability.
Courtesy of AGELOCER
The AGELOCER "Ice Never Melts" Free-sprung Crystal Tourbillon is positioned as a significant value proposition: a watch offering a combination of highly complex features—a crystal case, a flying tourbillon, and a free-sprung balance—at a price point far below its Swiss counterparts. The entire package is delivered in an exclusive leather gift box designed for portability.
The watch is available for $2,599.00. It is a limited-edition release, with only 299 pieces of each color (the black-bridged 9101S11 and the blue-bridged 9104S11) being produced for the worldwide market. Each watch features a unique code, reinforcing its limited-edition status. This release represents AGELOCER's aggressive push to stake its claim in the world of complex, design-forward mechanical watchmaking.
Case: 42.5mm diameter, 11.8mm thickness. AGELOCER high-tech crystal case (Mohs 8) with silicon carbide-coated surface. Sapphire crystal front and case back. 50m (5ATM) water resistance. Total watch weight: 76.2 g.
Movement: Cal.A9001 mechanical movement. Free-sprung flying tourbillon. 80-hour power reserve via patented double-barrel linkage technology. 25 jewels. 28,800 V.P.H (4Hz) frequency. Novodiac suspension system.
Dial: Fully skeletonized open-worked design (no traditional dial). Available with black or blue movement bridges. Hands and hour markers treated with Swiss Super-LumiNova® (ice blue).
Strap: 22mm width white food-grade silicone rubber. Folding buckle. Fits wrist lengths 160-220mm.
Price: $2,599.00
Reference Number: 9101S11 (Black); 9104S11 (Blue)
Notes: Limited edition of 299 pieces worldwide for each color. The watch features an original design by Etienne Ruffieux and is powered by what AGELOCER calls China's first mass-produced free-sprung flying tourbillon movement.