By chance I am working on a pocket watch, but one you can see all the insides, and have been making a lot of gears, rubies, and stuff.

An idea for the liquid... how about watch parts instead of the liquid. Or, several volumetric lights coming out from the bottom of the watch. Since the light would be fading.. it's kinda like once Time leaks out, or escapes, it's gone forever.. intangible. Anyway....