Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Thank you to Hungry Minds for sponsoring this video. To get 10% off your copy of The Book: the Ultimate Guide to Rebuilding Civilization, please follow the link bit.ly/4bxROBW and enter the promo code OUROWNDEVICES10
Introduced in the early 19th century, Watchclocks were designed to ensure that security guards and watchmen actually walked their patrol routes - especially on weekends when other supervisors were absent. Introduced in 1947 by the Detex Corporation of Chicago, the Guardsman was one of the most popular portable watch clocks in history and was produced nearly unchanged until 2011.
Punch Clock video: youtu.be/7JUJO2w-tWo
TIFO Rubber for Optics Trade video: youtube.com/watch?v=o3azuTt8DII&pp=ygVaYSBkZWFsIHdpdGggdGhlIGRldmlsIC0gdGhhdCB0aW1lIGJyaXRhaW4gYW5kIGdlcm1hbnkgYmVjYW1lIHBhcnRuZXJzIGluIHRoZSBtaWRkbGUgb2Ygd3dp
0:00 Introduction
0:51 Ad Spot: Hungry Minds
2:46 Early Pin Clocks
5:19 Central Station Clocks - Mechanical
6:34 Central Station Clocks - Electric
8:05 Bürk Portable Watchclocks
9:01 Hahn, Imhauser, and Grusen Clocks
10:20 Detex Corporation Origins
12:26 Guardsman External Features
13:26 Guardsman Internal Features / Operation
16:01 Detex Later History
16:53 Outro
Sources
watchclocks.org/Types/types.html
livingheritagemuseum.org/2024/05/30/12738/a-solution-for-unreliable-employees
employeetimeclocks.com/watchman-clocks.htm?srsltid=AfmBOopKiqNFgzlaaNOMrphn5BgIYiCc0mYFO9UQ699X0aY4Z7cp3S1J
warmuseum.ca/collections/artifact/1900746
collectorsweekly.com/stories/246669-detex-guardsmans-watchclock
patents.google.com/patent/US1716477A/en
patents.google.com/patent/US2889190A/en?assignee=DETEX+WATCHCLOCK+CORP&oq=DETEX+WATCHCLOCK+CORP
patents.google.com/patent/US2671005A/en?assignee=DETEX+WATCHCLOCK+CORP&oq=DETEX+WATCHCLOCK+CORP
patents.google.com/patent/US2229098A/en?assignee=DETEX+WATCHCLOCK+CORP&oq=DETEX+WATCHCLOCK+CORP
employeetimeclocks.com/watchman-clocks.htm?srsltid=AfmBOorGG128kjupOSyzXjSfUV4EGee9udYbPuVeF286VgNQazEXuVfv
thesecuritymuseum.com/2025/11/04/watch-clocks-120-years-of-timed-security
Thank you to Hungry Minds for sponsoring this video. To get 10% off your copy of The Book: the Ultimate Guide to Rebuilding Civilization, please follow the link bit.ly/4bxROBW and enter the promo code OUROWNDEVICES10
Introduced in the early 19th century, Watchclocks were designed to ensure that security guards and watchmen actually walked their patrol routes - especially on weekends when other supervisors were absent. Introduced in 1947 by the Detex Corporation of Chicago, the Guardsman was one of the most popular portable watch clocks in history and was produced nearly unchanged until 2011.
Punch Clock video: youtu.be/7JUJO2w-tWo
TIFO Rubber for Optics Trade video: youtube.com/watch?v=o3azuTt8DII&pp=ygVaYSBkZWFsIHdpdGggdGhlIGRldmlsIC0gdGhhdCB0aW1lIGJyaXRhaW4gYW5kIGdlcm1hbnkgYmVjYW1lIHBhcnRuZXJzIGluIHRoZSBtaWRkbGUgb2Ygd3dp
0:00 Introduction
0:51 Ad Spot: Hungry Minds
2:46 Early Pin Clocks
5:19 Central Station Clocks - Mechanical
6:34 Central Station Clocks - Electric
8:05 Bürk Portable Watchclocks
9:01 Hahn, Imhauser, and Grusen Clocks
10:20 Detex Corporation Origins
12:26 Guardsman External Features
13:26 Guardsman Internal Features / Operation
16:01 Detex Later History
16:53 Outro
Sources
watchclocks.org/Types/types.html
livingheritagemuseum.org/2024/05/30/12738/a-solution-for-unreliable-employees
employeetimeclocks.com/watchman-clocks.htm?srsltid=AfmBOopKiqNFgzlaaNOMrphn5BgIYiCc0mYFO9UQ699X0aY4Z7cp3S1J
warmuseum.ca/collections/artifact/1900746
collectorsweekly.com/stories/246669-detex-guardsmans-watchclock
patents.google.com/patent/US1716477A/en
patents.google.com/patent/US2889190A/en?assignee=DETEX+WATCHCLOCK+CORP&oq=DETEX+WATCHCLOCK+CORP
patents.google.com/patent/US2671005A/en?assignee=DETEX+WATCHCLOCK+CORP&oq=DETEX+WATCHCLOCK+CORP
patents.google.com/patent/US2229098A/en?assignee=DETEX+WATCHCLOCK+CORP&oq=DETEX+WATCHCLOCK+CORP
employeetimeclocks.com/watchman-clocks.htm?srsltid=AfmBOorGG128kjupOSyzXjSfUV4EGee9udYbPuVeF286VgNQazEXuVfv
thesecuritymuseum.com/2025/11/04/watch-clocks-120-years-of-timed-security
