Is Fossil a Luxury Brand? All The Details You Need To Know
Fossil is known for its collection of gorgeous and practical watches, as well as offering jewelry and leather goods. But is Fossil a luxury brand?
American brand Fossil has become a household name in the world of watches and now owns several other high-quality watch companies. The company has expanded so much that it could now be considered a fashion brand: its collections include bags, leather goods, and jewelry for both men and women.
Fossil could be considered a premium brand because of its top-quality materials, classic and timeless designs, and diverse portfolio of items on offer. They are known worldwide as a good watch brand for practical and versatile timepieces for men and women.
However, Fossil watches are available at a much lower price range and their designs are not quite as luxurious as top-tier watch brands like Hublot, Omega, and the likes.
Similarly, while their other products like handbags look incredible, they too do not have the same price tag as bags from heritage luxury brands like Louis Vuitton. For these reasons, it can also be argued that Fossil is not a luxury brand.
We’re going to take a look at the history of the brand, the quality of its products, the price range of Fossil, and our top products before coming to a definite conclusion on whether Fossil is a luxury brand or not.
Is fossil a luxury brand?
The History of Fossil
Fossil is an American fashion brand founded by Tom Kartsotis in 1984 in Texas, USA. The brand began with watches before expanding into accessories, bags, and small leather goods. Fossil focuses on authenticity and creativity within their products, an ethos that has now expanded to the brands that are included under the Fossil Group.
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Fossil has expanded their brand by buying existing watch brands, such as Relic, Michele Watch, Zodiac Watches, and Skagen, several of which are Swiss watch brands. Not only this, but the Fossil Group has a collection of licensed brands that they create accessories for, including Emporio Armani, Armani Exchange, Diesel, Kate Spade New York, and DKNY.
Fossil’s portfolio includes luxury watch brands, as well as more affordable offerings that are available in department stores as well as their own specific stores.
Fossil manufactures and distributes watches to brands including Burberry, Marc Jacobs, and Adidas, on top of designing their own collection of Fossil goods in Switzerland. Fossil manufacturing takes place in China, then the products are distributed from Dallas, Texas, or Germany.
The Quality of Fossil
Fossil is known for its good quality materials that are reliable, durable, and functional, so you can trust that your Fossil product will stand the test of time.
Fossil watches are generally made from stainless steel, with some featuring genuine leather straps. Most watches have a mineral crystal face and a quartz movement for practicality and reliability. Quartz movements are very accurate and easy to maintain, you just may need to get the battery changed once in a while.
However, quartz movements are more low-cost, hence why Fossil watches are a little more affordable, while mechanical movements are used in high-quality watches because of the expertise needed to create such movements.
For their bags, many are made from eco-leather – Fossil is currently putting a lot of focus on how to create their products sustainably so we can protect the planet, so you will often see items on the Fossil website that state that they are pro-planet. The trim and handles on bags are often made from PVC which is very durable. Sustainability continues to the inside of Fossil bags, with the lining often made from ViralOff® Recycled Polyester.
Wallets are usually made from leather with plated hardware that matches the color and style of the wallet – often the metal hardware is plated to give it an old English brass feel.
The price range of Fossil products
You can get a good idea of whether Fossil is a luxury brand through the price ranges of their products – so we’re going to take a closer look at them now!
Generally, watches are sold for between $100 and $370, depending on the materials and style of your watch. Fossil has recently added smartwatches to their product line, which are at a higher end of this price range.
For bags, you are looking at a price point of between $100 and $495 – the perfect range if you are looking for a classic bag that won’t break the bank.
Wallets are particularly affordable and can be found for anywhere between $50 and $150. These price ranges will also give you an idea of the craftsmanship and materials behind the products offered by Fossil.
Our Favorite products from Fossil
Fossil may be best known for its collection of stunning watches, but the brand also offers much more, including bags, wallets, and jewelry. Here are our top picks from Fossil that we think you need to take a look at.
1. Watches
Of course, we have to begin with watches. There are lots of Fossil watches to choose from, so we’ve just picked a couple of our favorites.
This Scarlette Mini Three-Hand Date Two-Tone Stainless Steel Watch is just perfect if you are after a high-quality yet affordable watch. The two-tone stainless steel bracelet of gleaming silver and gold looks incredible, while the fluted bezel around the watch face really sparkles when it catches the light.
The date window and sunray dial on the face of the watch guarantee complete practicality as well. The elegant Fossil watch is available for just $140 and has a water resistance of 5ATM – just perfect!
The Carlie watch is a popular watch for Fossil and the sleek, modern design is sure to suit a wide range of outfits. The combination of a genuine leather strap and silver sunray dial ensures a luxurious feel while functionality comes in the form of the adjustable strap and bold, clear face.
The combination of gleaming gold and tan leather looks stunning and is the perfect neutral and versatile option. Fossil is known for its reasonable prices, and at only $130, this watch is perfect if you are looking for something a little more affordable and could be the perfect everyday watch. There are different color straps available to suit your personal style!
2. Bags
Fossil offers a wide range of bags for both men and women, all totally gorgeous and so functional – perfect! Here are just two that you will love.
A crossbody bag is so versatile and makes a perfect everyday bag, so if you are looking for a new crossbody, the Fossil Jolie Crossbody bag is a great option. This stylish bag has a soft structure and minimalist look, with just simple gold hardware to add a luxe touch, making this bag the perfect accessory to suit your casual weekend looks.
This Fossil bag features a leather shoulder strap and a leather crossbody strap so you can style the bag in a range of different ways! The spacious interior features a zipper pocket, while there is an exterior pocket for any items you need within easy reach. Above, the bag is shown in black leather, but it is also available in 4 other colorways.
A tote bag is an essential element of any bag collection, and Fossil has a great range of functional, eye-catching tote bags, the Rachel tote just being one example. The simple design of the Rachel Tote features a leather body to the bag with contrasting dual leather straps.
The hardware is old English brass for a classic, sophisticated feel, while the zipper on the top of the bag opens to reveal a zipped pocket to keep your essentials safe. The exterior also has two slide pockets so you can easily grab what you need most. The classic design of this tote means it is definitely worth the $200.
3. wallets
The smaller leather goods from the Fossil brand, such as the wallets, are also worth checking out if you are after classic designs and functional style.
If you need a little extra space and organization from your wallet, and you don’t mind it taking up a little more room in your bag, then the Logan Leather Flap Clutch Wallet is perfect and so affordable too at only $100! This clutch-style wallet is fitted with 12 credit card slots, an ID window, bill compartments, and two zipper pockets too!
The wallet is spacious enough to fit an iPhone® 14 Pro Max or a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, meaning you can wear it as a clutch too. This wallet comes in black or tan, each with gold hardware, which are excellent, neutral, and versatile options.
If you are looking for something a little more compact, but just as organized, then the Logan Mini Multifunction wallet is ideal for you. Available in black or brown leather and embellished with the Fossil logo in old English brass hardware, the Logan wallet opens up to reveal a bill compartment, two gusseted pockets, card slots, and an ID window.
The exterior also has slide and zip pockets so you can keep everything you need in this perfect timeless little wallet. The smaller size means it’s perfect to fit into your crossbody or mini bags.
Conclusion
Overall, we would not consider Fossil to be a luxury brand. Instead, it can be seen as a high-end watch and accessories brand that sits just below luxury watch brands.
The products that the brand offers are good quality, but not premium enough to be considered luxury. The materials and craftsmanship create durable, practical, and stylish pieces that are definitely worth the money and will stand the test of time.
The price range of Fossil products reflects the quality and the brand’s items are not really expensive enough to compete with luxury watch brands like Rolex or Omega – they’re more on par with affordable luxury watches offered by brands like Michael Kors.
However, Fossil is still an incredible brand with lots of stylish and sophisticated products – so they are the perfect brand to head to if you are looking for good quality pieces on an affordable budget. Their watches always look amazing and so they are a great place to start if you are beginning a watch collection.
We hope you found this article analyzing whether Fossil is a luxury brand helpful! For more luxury fashion content, check out the posts below.
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