In this article we are comparing the watch brands Fossil vs Timex. both of these brands are major players in the industry. While they both have some amazing offerings as far as watches go, each brand brings something different to the table. So which is the better brand? That is the question often asked when looking at different watch brands. Surely one must be superior to the other, right?
The answer is not always that simple. It’s not always necessarily about which brand is better, but rather which brand better suits your needs. Nevertheless, when we compare these brands, we will look at very specific factors to see how they match up in comparison. These factors are build quality, style, and pricing.
These are going to be the most important factors when it comes to determining the superiority of a particular brand. So with that being said, let’s get into it! The first thing we will do, however, is look at a brief overview of each brand.
About Fossil And Timex
Fossil
Fossil is the younger company between the two. It is an American company that was founded in 1984. It may not have as long and rich a history as Timex, but it has made a name for itself in the short time it has been around.
The main goal of the Fossil brand is to produce fashionable watches at an affordable price. As such, many fossil watches have a premium look and feel to them, as well as unique and eye catching styles. This has been the case since the beginning.
In the early days of Fossil, their watches were presented in an old fashioned 1930’s to 60’s theme. They came in boxes complete with vintage styled artwork. Since then, Fossil has continued to innovate in the realm of style and fashion, while still keeping their watches affordable when compared to other designer watch brands.
Timex
Timex has stood the test of time, as they have been around since 1854. As with Fossil, they are an American company focused on bringing quality watches to the market at more than reasonable prices. They have a seasoned history in the watch industry.
In the time that Timex has been around, they have brought technical innovation into the industry as a whole. Their V-Conic watches were popular in the 50’s and 60’s. And since then, Timex introduced the world’s first sports watch into the market with their Ironman series.
Even in the world of fashion, Timex is no slouch, as they have created watches that are simple, yet fashionable at the same time. Many of these types of watches have caught on and become quite popular!
Brand Overview Conclusion
While Fossil has gained a lot of momentum in their short history, it is clear that Timex has had a greater and more lasting impact on the watch industry as a whole.
In the next segment, we will get into the more technical aspects of the two brands’ watches.
Fossil Vs Timex: Quality And Build
The first thing to look at in watch brands is the quality of their build. Let’s see what types of materials these brands are using in their watches.
Fossil
The Fossil brand produces mechanical, digital, and smartwatches. Fossil, by and large, has cases made of stainless steel. Their bands can be stainless steel as well, but also come in leather, or even silicone, depending on the watch. The dial windows on a typical Fossil watch will usually be made of mineral crystal.
Fossil watches usually don’t offer much water resistance, with many models having about 30 meters of water resistance. This means that you shouldn’t wear them while swimming or bathing.
So Fossil watches have an average build. They keep it pretty simple. Their builds are neither high nor low quality. They are about what you would expect in lower priced watches.
Timex
Timex has more variation in their builds, as they make different types of watches. For example, the Ironman series I mentioned earlier, uses resin cases with acrylic dial windows, and a water resistance of 200 meters. The bands on Ironman watches are made of plastic lot of times.
Timex also has an outdoor model called the Expedition. Much like the Ironman series, these also have resin cases, and acrylic dial windows. The bands, however, will be usually made of fabric or leather, and the water resistance tends to stay in the 50-100 meters range.
Still yet, you can find different Timex watches with varied composition. Some will have cases made of brass. And many Timex watches have mineral crystal dial windows. The usual range of water resistance for Timex watches other than the two models I mentioned earlier, will be between 30 to 100 meters.
Quality And Build Conclusion
From what we have seen, Timex has higher quality builds, with more variation in materials and usually a higher water resistance threshold.
Fossil Vs Timex: Style
Next , we’re going to look at what these brands offer as far as styles go.
Fossil
Fossil is a fashion focused brand, and as such, they bring a wide assortment of styles to the market. Their designs keep up to date with the latest trends. They even won a Fashion Tech Of The Year Award in 2017. Having styles that consistently gain favorable reviews in the eyes of the public is what helps keep them moving forward in the industry.
Timex
Timex watch styles tend to be pretty basic and vanilla. They do have a few that stand out, but for the most part, You are not going to see anything new fashion-wise. That being said, however, Timex watches do have a style that can fit most any attire. These are not bad looking watches at all.
Style Conclusion
Considering that the Fossil brand is built on the premise of fashion, it comes as no surprise that they have much wider selection of eye catching timepieces than Timex.
Fossil Vs Timex: Pricing
Both brands pride themselves on being affordable. But they are affordable in their respective segments. Fossil is affordable for a designer brand watch. However, Timex is just inexpensive in general. And on that note, you will find that the average Timex watch is going to be far less expensive than the average Fossil watch.
Now it’s true that each brand has more or less expensive individual watches. But if you look at the average prices, you will see that Timex has the advantage with consistently lower prices.
Check Fossil Prices On Amazon
Check Timex Prices On Amazon
Fossil Vs Timex: Final Conclusion
From the information gathered here today we can reach a conclusion. Timex has had a greater impact on the watch industry, higher quality builds, and consistently lower prices than Fossil.
But, As I stated in the beginning, these watches serve different sectors of the market. If you are looking for a fashionable designer watch, at a reasonable price, then you should look to Fossil. For anything and everything else, Timex is the go to watch brand.
And that concludes this comparison! If you enjoyed this matchup, then feel free to browse some of our other Vs articles here
