01 Workspace Preparation
Establish a sub-zero environment, ideally between −8 °C and −4 °C. Warmer conditions will cause micro-fractures along the crystal grain boundaries. Lay down an insulated tray lined with frost cloth. Prepare silicone-tipped tools only — metal conducts heat and will bond to the ice on contact, cracking delicate parts.
02 Detach the Pendulum Arm
Locate the main pivot socket at the top of the frame — a precision-bored ice cylinder seated into a concave cradle. Gently rotate the arm counterclockwise by no more than 15°. The interference fit will release with a faint crackle. Slide the arm downward and out. Set it horizontally on the frost cloth to prevent bowing under gravity.
03 Remove the Bob Assembly
The bob — a solid sphere of clear glacial ice — is threaded onto the arm via a tapered tongue-and-groove joint. Support the bob from below with a cupped silicone pad while twisting the coupling sleeve a quarter turn. The bob should separate cleanly. Inspect the groove for any hairline fractures; these indicate thermal stress and mean the piece cannot be reassembled safely.
04 Dismantle the Escapement
This is the most delicate stage. The escapement consists of a frozen gear train — two interlocking ice wheels with teeth carved at 0.8 mm tolerance. Pry the retaining nylon spudger inserted at the 6-o'clock notch. Lift the first wheel straight up. The second wheel rests on a film of supercooled water acting as a lubricant bearing — absorb this film with a dry frost-cloth square before lifting the wheel, or it will refreeze and lock in place.
05 Frame and Storage
With all moving parts removed, the frame is simply an arch of structural ice. It requires no further disassembly. Wrap each component individually in frost cloth, label them, and store in a −12 °C chest. Components will remain viable for reassembly for approximately 72 hours before sublimation degrades the precision surfaces beyond usable tolerance.