Choosing a wristwatch might not be the most straightforward task. The number of watch brands, models, and designs eyeing you from various online and offline stores can confuse you as to which to buy.
However, one brand that keeps coming up almost everywhere is Fossil. And here’s pretty much everything you should know about this watch brand.
In This Article…
How the Fossil Watch Brand Came to Be
Fossil is famous for designing, manufacturing, and distributing trendy and quality watches globally. The brand is not just an American designer but also a manufacturer of several watch brands.
If you were to get a wristwatch in the 1980s, you’d either settle for a reliable but expensive Swiss watch or a cheap-looking timepiece. And clearly, the watch market has a considerable gap for attractive, classy yet affordable wristwatches.
In 1984, Fossil arrived to fill the gap in the watch market. The brand’s stores started to stock striking timepieces that boasted attractive prices. Hence, the stream of fashion watch brands we have today got inspired by the emergence of the Fossil watch brand.
Is Fossil a High-End Watch Brand?
The word ‘high-end’ or ‘luxury’ is relative. What you consider as expensive, another person may see as cheap. However, if you categorize Fossil watches in terms of worth, Fossil watches aren’t expensive.
The most expensive Fossil watches retail for about $700, and the cheap ones sell for about $30 or less. However, because Fossil watches aren’t tagged as expensive doesn’t mean that the company makes inferior timepieces.
Fossil makes fine wristwatches. The brand is sought-after for producing elegant, trendy, and affordable wristwatches. So, you don’t have to break the bank before you can get a nice Fossil watch.
What Makes Fossil Watches Special?
Fossil is a watch brand that’s good at manufacturing ‘designer’ watches without the ‘designer’ label. Honestly, it appears that the beautiful and trendy design – for an affordable price – that every Fossil watch has is their unique feature.
Are Fossil Watches Swiss Made?
The production and manufacture of Fossil watches began in Hong Kong. But since the brand grew into a multi-billion-dollar company, it now has various manufacturing companies worldwide.
However, not all Fossil-owned companies manufacture wristwatches. Some of the companies assemble the wristwatches, and others are into the manufacture of watch components.
The question about if Fossil watches are Swiss-made started to make waves in the early 2000s. This was after the brand bought a bankrupt Swiss watch brand – Zodiac. Following the acquisition, Fossil announced that it had taken its first step to own a Swiss-made business.
Fossil proceeded to give Zodiac a facelift. And today, the brand manufactures masculine-looking quartz chronographs and automatic divers’ watches.
So, it would be accurate to say Fossil owns a sub-brand that makes Swiss-made watches.
Which Country Brand is Fossil?
The answer to this question is quite indefinite. The watch brand has grown a lot since its inception. Though the timepiece maker started operations in Hong Kong, China, Fossil has several manufacturing brands worldwide today.
However, the majority of the wristwatches in the Fossil line are made in China while the company headquarter is located in Texas, USA. Considering Fossil’s international presence, it’s difficult to call it a particular country’s brand.
It’s best if Fossil is referred to as a global wristwatch brand.
Is Casio Better Than Fossil?
There are several talking points when we compare Fossil to Casio.
I have discussed the relevant aspects to inspect when drawing the parallel between these two watch brands.
Quality and Build
Fossil
A more significant percentage of Fossil watches have a stainless-steel casing. Some of Fossil’s wristwatches also sport stainless steel bands, while others have leather straps. The dial windows are mostly made of mineral crystal.
The bottom line is that the materials used in manufacturing Fossil watches are pretty much standard materials used on most wristwatches. So, there’s nothing unique about a Fossil watch’s build – aside from the design, of course.
However, the build of Fossil watches is not cheap compared to other watch brands.
Casio
Casio is known to have a wide variety of builds. You’ll find that most Casio watches are made of resin, while others are made of stainless steel and some plastic.
You’ll see many Casio watches with dial windows made from mineral crystal and some made of plastic. And you’ll notice that Casio tends to use different materials for their watches; that’s because they focus on the manufacture of affordable watches that suit specific purposes.
Many Casio watches, like the G-Shock line, are relatively cheap. But you’ll find that they are long-lasting and durable. Hence, Casio watches have a stronger build over Fossil watches.
Style
Fossil
It’s no news that Fossil has made a name for itself in the fashion industry. The reputable watch brand has some eye-catching watches in their collection, and the fashion-conscious can attest to that.
In a word, Fossil makes timepieces that suit just about any style. Likewise, the watches sport well-thought designs and it would be hard to find a Fossil watch that doesn’t appeal to your sense of style.
Casio
If you follow the trend in the timepiece world, you’ll realize that Casio focuses on function without paying much attention to form. That doesn’t mean that Casio watches are ugly, but they seem comfortable with the simplistic appearance of their wristwatches.
Price
Cost-wise, both Casio and Fossil manufacture inexpensive watches that offer the best value for money. However, a Fossil watch tends to cost more than an average Casio watch. The interesting thing is that Casio has far more offering at such a low price.
Are Fossil Watches Waterproof?
The majority of Fossil watches are water-resistant, especially the series manufactured for sports. However, you wouldn’t want to assume that every Fossil watch is waterproof. It’s advisable to check the label at the back of the timepiece.
Meanwhile, waterproof Fossil watches are tagged water-resistant with the recommended depth they can endure. You would want to pay attention to the waterproof details of your Fossil watch before engaging in activities like swimming or scuba diving.
It is also worthy of note that when water-resistant watches undergo repairs, the seal that protects water from entering into the wristwatch gets damaged. An expert jeweler can help you fix it so your timepiece can retain the ‘waterproof’ title.
Are Fossil Watches Worth the Price?
If you are looking for a timepiece whose price is not exorbitant and of decent quality, your best bet might be a Fossil watch. Generally, Fossil watches are high-performing and quality watches that sell for prices worth reckoning with.
Nobody wants to use a low-quality watch. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford a high-quality timepiece as well. Thankfully, Fossil has been bridging the gap between expensive and cheap watches since 1984.
So, yes. Fossil watches are worth the price.
