Top 10 Best Fossil Watches [List & Guide]

Top 10 Best Fossil Watches [List & Guide]

Fossil is a watch brand that has increased dramatically in popularity in recent years. The brand is known for making stylish and affordable timepieces with a focus on design and style.

Fossil is a large watch group that owns a large number of watch brands in addition to Fossil. This includes brands such as Skagen Denmark, Zodiac Watches, Misfit, and many more. With that said, this is one of the largest watch groups in the world, and as a result, the group has been able to establish great know-how and expertise in watch manufacturing. Fossil as a group is primarily known for making affordable timepieces, and the same goes for Fossil. With this in mind, Fossil group has great resources in mass production which makes it possible to push down the prices whilst also maintaining the quality of the products.

Fossil watches Background and history

Fossil was founded in 1984 by Tom Kartsotis. The company is today based in Richardson, Texas. As mentioned, Fossil owns a large number of brands under its umbrella and is also licensed to make products for brands like Puma, Michael Kors, and DKNY, to name a few.

The brother of Tom Kartsotis, Kosta Kartsotis also owns a big part of about 12.5% of stocks in Fossil. The name Fossil derives from the nickname that the brothers gave their father.

The company started out as an import retail business of products made in the Far East, with a focus on fashion watches. The company’s main focus was affordable fashion watches, and from there, the company expanded and started designing and making its own branded products.

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Best Fossil Watches

When discussing ”best watches”, it’s always a bit complex as it depends on which factors you look at. In this article, we will look at the Fossil watches that are most popular and which have received the best reviews. And if we are to trust the opinion of the crowd, the most popular Fossil watches are likely the ones you’ll be most happy with.

So without further ado, let’s look closer at the most popular Fossil watches.

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Fossil Decker Quartz Steel Chronograph

Starting off, the Fossil Decker Quartz chronograph is a sporty and masculine timepiece with a classic yet bulky design.

This watch is inspired by elements from the Texas Flight Museum and is, therefore, an aviation-inspired chronograph. With its sporty appeal, it is a great versatile timepiece that works for many different occasions. It is presented with a diameter of 4mm and has a mineral crystal on top. The watch is powered by a quartz chronograph movement.

The watch is water-resistant to 100m/330 feet and is suitable for swimming but not diving.

Specifications

• Water resistance: 100m/330 feet
• Diameter: 44mm
• Crystal: Mineral glass
• Lug width: 22mm
• Movement: quartz chronograph

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Fossil Coachman Quartz Steel Cuff Watch

The Fossil Coachman chronograph is a robust and bulky chronograph timepiece with a unique design. Worth knowing is that this watch is available in a few different iterations with different strap options and dial colors.

The watch is presented with a large 45mm stainless steel case and is powered by a quartz chronograph movement. On top of the case sits a hardened mineral crystal. The watch is water-resistant to 100m/330 feet.

This watch is perfect if you want a unique and sporty chronograph timepiece that is just as tough as it looks and has a great presence on the wrist.

Specifications

• Diameter: 45mm
• Movement: quartz chronograph
• Crystal: Mineral glass
• Water resistance: 100m/330 feet

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Fossil Grant Steel Quartz Chronograph

The Fossil Grant is a sleek and classic chronograph with a sporty yet refined design that works perfectly for everyday wear.

The watch has a stainless steel case with a diameter of 44mm, lug width of 22mm, and a mineral crystal on top. It is powered by a quartz chronograph movement. Like many of Fossil’s watches, it is available in a few different iterations with different dial colors and strap options. The watch is water-resistant to 50m/5 ATM.

With its large hands and Roman numerals, the legibility of this watch is quite good. It has a perfect balance between sportiness and elegance which adds to its versatility. With all that said, it is a perfect everyday watch.

Specifications

• Diameter: 44mm
• Crystal: Mineral glass
• Movement: quartz chronograph
• Water-resistance: 5ATM/50 meters

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Fossil Machine Steel Quartz

If you want a unique, cool, and sporty timepiece that stands out from the crowd, the Fossil Machine is a great alternative. The watch has a stainless steel case with a funky design with a diameter of 44mm. On top, it has a mineral crystal. It is powered by a quartz movement with a 3-hand display and a date window at 6 o’clock. The watch is water-resistant to 165 feet/50 meters.

Again this model is available in a few iterations so you can pick the one that speaks to you the most. What is particularly interesting about this watch is that Fossil has really paid attention to the details despite its affordable price. It has a nice stainless steel bezel with a unique knurled pattern. The case combines polished and brushed elements, and the dial has applied metal hour markers with metal hands. The center of the dial also has a striped pattern. All of these things help enhance the watch and improve its impression of quality and make it appear much more expensive than it actually is.

Specifications

• Diameter: 44mm
• Lug width: 22mm
• Crystal: Mineral glass
• Movement: quartz 3 hand with day-date display
• Water resistance: 165 feet/50m

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Fossil Nate Quartz Chronograph

The Fossil Nate is a masculine and robust oversized chronograph with a diameter of a whopping 50mm. With that said, it requires some large wrists to pull off, and you need to enjoy wearing large watches to enjoy the Fossil Nate. But if you do, this is a great watch.

It has a military-inspired design with oversized lugs and large details such as the Arabic numerals on the dial and its steel bezel with aggressively knurled edges. This watch is sure to go unnoticed!

The dial has large white hands which provide excellent contrast against the blue dial and applied white hour markers which help. It has a scratch-resistant mineral crystal and is powered by a quartz chronograph movement. It is water-resistant to 100m/330 feet.

If you want a chronograph that is big, sporty, and that stands out from the crowd, this is definitely one you want to consider.

Specifications

• Water resistance: 100m/330 feet
• Crystal: Mineral glass
• Diameter: 50mm
• Lug width: 24mm

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Fossil Townsman Casual Quartz Chronograph

The Fossil Townsman is, as the name suggests more of a sophisticated and elegant timepiece. In fact, it is one of our favorites from Fossil.

This watch works perfectly if you want something more elegant and versatile that works both for formal occasions and everyday wear.

It is presented with a 44mm stainless steel case with a hardened mineral crystal on top. It is powered by a quartz chronograph movement and therefore incorporates a chronograph function. The watch is water-resistant to 165 feet/50 meters.

Our favorite is the blue dial version which stands out and has a beautiful matte finish. There are many details in this watch, and many of them also contribute to giving it a more classic and vintage-inspired appearance. Its hands, for example, have a shape that is often seen in vintage pilot’s watches, and its slightly domed dial finish gives it a vintage appeal.

This watch works just as great with a suit as it does with jeans, and this is a great characteristic in a watch that can be hard to find.

Specifications

• Diameter: 44mm
• Lug width: 22mm
• Movement: Quartz Chronograph
• Crystal: hardened mineral glass
• Lug width: 22mm
• Water resistance: 165 feet/50m

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Fossil Dean Stainless Steel Quartz Chronograph

This watch is sure to catch people’s attention. It has a very unique and sporty appearance in a number of elements of this watch. It is presented with a large 45mm case and has a gear-inspired bezel which adds a masculine and tool-like appeal. The hands and Arabic numerals on the dial stand out and at the same time provide great legibility. On top of the case, Fossil. Has opted for a mineral crystal.

The chronograph pushers and crown guards on its side add to the sportiness and of course, also means that the watch has chronograph sub-dials on the dial. The watch is water-resistant to 50m/165 feet.

This is certainly not a watch for everyone, but if you want a watch that works as a conversation starter or goes well with a casual, masculine look, it may be for you.

Specifications

• Diameter: 45mm
• Lug width: 22mm
• Movement: quartz chronograph
• Water resistance: 165 feet/50m

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Fossil Townsman Automatic Watch

We have already looked at one of Fossil’s Townsman models, but this one stands out due to its see-through crystal which also allows you to see the movement inside. Worth noting is that the vast majority of Fossil watches are quartz, but this one is automatic, and this is something that especially watch enthusiasts will enjoy. And not only is the movement automatic, but you are also able to see it, and this is a really nice touch.

Another nice detail is that Fossil has incorporated Roman numerals in metal around the movement which means you can see all the way through to behind your wrist as well. This is not your ordinary skeleton watch, and that is also what makes it so special. Most skeleton watches only allow you to see the movement inside, but not all the way through, but the Townsman does.

The watch has a 44mm case and a mineral crystal. Thanks to its elegant and refined design, it is more of a dress watch but also works great for everyday wear. It is water-resistant to 165 feet (50 M).

Specifications

• Diameter: 44mm
• Lug width: 22mm
• Water resistance: 50m/165 feet
• Crystal: Mineral glass

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Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle Smartwatch

Many people do not know this, but Fossil has also entered the smartwatch industry with a smartwatch. And this has also proven to be one of Fossil’s most popular watches.

If you enjoy Fossil watches but also want a Fossil watch with a nice design, the Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle is worth exploring. The watch is presented with a 44mm case and is powered with Wear OS by Google. It works with iPhone and Android Phones. 

This smartwatch has a battery life of 24 hours+ and has a multi-day extended mode. In terms of functions, it incorporates a lot. It has a health and fitness tracker which tracks things like heart rate, and activity, and uses Google Fit. It also has a built-in GPS which helps track distance. It is swim-proof with a water resistance of 3 ATM/30m.

Furthermore, it can track your sleep history, monitor your restfulness, and much more.

The watch allows you to personalize the look of it with many different faces and allows you to use lots of different apps for things like fitness, payments, music, social, news, games, and more. Another great feature about this smartwatch is that since it connects to your phone, it makes it possible to get notifications for calls, texts, apps, and automatic time, time zone, and calendar syncing.

All in all, this is a nice smartwatch that incorporates the best of both worlds, meaning function, and style.

Specifications

• Lug width: 22mm
• Diameter: 44mm
• Battery life: 24 hours+
• Functions: Heart rate & activity, Google fit, GPS, app connectivity, calendar syncing, and much more…
• Water resistance: 3 atm/30m

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Fossil FB-01 Stainless Dive-Inspired Quartz Watch

Last but not least, we have the Fossil FB-01 which is one of Fossil’s most popular watches. And it’s easy to see why. Dive-inspired timepieces have become extremely popular in recent years in particular, and so that is exactly what this is.

It has a case size of 42mm and a mineral crystal on top. It is powered by a 3-hand quartz movement with a date display. Note that this is not a dive watch, but rather a dive-inspired timepiece that takes the design traits of a classic dive watch and incorporates it into a daily watch. With that said, its water resistance is ”only” 100m/330 feet, meaning it is suitable for swimming but not diving.

Because of its huge popularity, Fossil has made this watch available in a large number of versions and iterations. What you need to know, however, is that it stays true to the classic elements of a true dive watch, meaning a unidirectional rotating bezel, a traditional dive-watch case, and an emphasis on great legibility. The watch has large applied markers and a date window positioned at 3 o’clock with a cyclops on top which helps read the date.

All in all, this is a sporty yet versatile timepiece that will work perfectly for any occasion. It is particularly great if you are a fan of dive watch designs and want something stylish yet affordable.

Specifications

• Diameter: 42mm
• Movement: three-hand quartz with date function
• Water resistance: 100m/330 feet
• Lug width: 22mm

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Are Fossil watches luxury?

No, Fossil is not considered a luxury brand and is not trying to be. Fossil focuses on making affordable, accessible, and stylish timepieces for the wide market. Fossil watches are generally priced between around 50 and 300 dollars which means you aren’t getting luxury finishing or the kind of attention to detail that you would expect from luxury watches. But still, Fossil is appreciated for making watches that offer great value for money due to their affordable prices.

Fossil watches would better be described as “affordable fashion watches” or “entry-level fashion watches” as the company especially focuses on style and design – making them more of a fashion accessory.

Is Fossil good quality?

When talking about watches and quality, price is always something that needs to be taken into account. Naturally, you cannot compare a 50-dollar watch with a 5.000-dollar watch, and if you factor the price aspect into the equation, Fossil watches are definitely good quality. In fact, in their price segment, Fossil is definitely amongst one of the best options when it comes to quality.

Fossil uses high-quality materials and most of the watches are made of stainless steel which is a durable and long-lasting material. Fossil often uses Japanese quartz movements which are not the most luxurious movements, but they have proven to be accurate and long-lasting.

Is Fossil Swiss?

Fossil is not a Swiss watch brand. In fact, that would be surprising considering its prices. Fossil watches are made in China but the company has design studios in Biel, Switzerland. The Fossil company, known as Fossil Group is based in the US.

Why buy a Fossil watch?

Fossil has become one of the largest watch brands in the entry-level fashion watch segment, and for good reasons. The primary benefits of Fossil watches and what makes them so popular are their affordability, focus on style and fashion, and their excellent relation between quality and price.

To make sure the company offers what people expect from them – stylish fashion watches with nice designs, Fossil takes help from well-known, top designers to create stylish fashion watches that work as a perfect accessory to your outfit. Originally, Fossil focused more on retro and vintage designs, but now focuses more on creating modern and stylish timepieces. In terms of design, Fossil watches have a nice balance between elegance and sportiness, making them very versatile (although there are of course many different watches for all kinds of purposes).

But in general, Fossil watches are designed to work great on most occasions, whether that is as an everyday watch, or paired with a suit at the office.

With that said, Fossil is a great choice for those who want an affordable watch that doesn’t break the bank that they can rely on, and also looks great with any outfit and style. Thanks to the brand’s great focus on design, Fossil watches often look much more exclusive and luxurious than what their price tags reveal, and this is always a great trait of any watch. These watches speak for themselves and the best word I could come up with to describe Fossil is “dapper”.

Instead of using a bunch of unnecessary and superfluous details, Fossil focuses on what is important in order to craft good-looking qualitative timepieces.