Complete Guide for Fossil Watches

Written by Casper in Watch History

Fossil watches have been around for over 30 years now, and they have gained popularity as a more affordable luxury brand. The brand has carved out a prestigious niche in fashion, and their elegant designs and variations for personalization give them a huge appeal. Of course, it helps when you are not selling your products for several thousands of dollars. All these factors have made fossil watches globally popular, resulting in numerous fake fossil watches in the market counterfeits of their genuine products.

Table of contents

How to spot a fake Fossil watch

Therefore, before getting to know about getting around your watch and other aspects of a Fossil watch, you have to be able to get a genuine watch first. This requires you to have an idea of what a fake Fossil is so you can avoid being duped. Here are the tell-tale signs of a fake Fossil watch.

Spelling mistakes

The first obvious sign is a misspelling of the brand name. This is usually an attempt to pass off as the original product while still trying to beat copyright regulations. The real brand is spelled as FOSSIL, while fake brand iterations will be something like FOSIL, FOSILL, or FOSSEL.

Cheap materials

Another indicator of a fake watch is the quality of material used for manufacture. Making quality watches is expensive and requires proper training and skill and the best materials. Fake watches take a shortcut, especially material-wise. Where original Fossil watches use high-grade stainless steel, genuine leather, silicone, and such, the fake ones will use poor alloys and coatings that easily fade or scratch. They also do not use genuine leather for the straps.

They lack a warranty.

A warranty is a guarantee of quality. It shows the manufacturer’s confidence in the product and can save you replacement or repair costs should the watch get faulty through no fault of your own. Fossil watches come with a limited 11-year warranty. The fake ones will have no warranty, or if they do, it is only for a short period, like six months or a year.

Be mindful of the price.

The attraction for most fakes is their price which hoodwinks you into thinking you are getting a quality product at a bargain. They are usually sold for about half and, in some instances, at a quarter the price of the original piece. Clever dealers of fake watches can pass off this disparity as an offer with crazy discounts of about 65% off. Original Fossil watches start from around $90 to several hundreds of dollars at the time of this writing, so avoid anything way off this mark.

Check for serial number.

Another sign of the fake is found at the back of the watch. The original Fossil watches have clear laser-printed information about the watch, including the serial number of the watch. Fake watches often do not have this information, and where they do, it is not complete. If the watch has a serial number, you can always confirm if it is genuine by calling Fossil Customer Care on their telephone line at 800-449-3056. Provide the serial number, and you will receive verification if it is genuine.

All dials should be working.

This is a simple test, especially for low-quality knock-offs. All original Fossil watches have well-finished dials, and they are working. They have two-handed dials save for the full smartwatches. If you have a chronograph, ensure all the other mini dials are also functional and not just there for aesthetics.

Sold on illegitimate sites

Not every marketplace can sell original Fossil watches. Check to ensure your vendor is authorized by Fossil to sell the watches. The better option would be to buy directly from Fossil eCommerce sites. You can also buy from major reputable retailers, but only if they provide you the terms, Fossil passes on to its buyers. Be wary of ads from social media sites, especially those with unbelievable prices.

Check catalog for designs.

You can always confirm if Fossil has such a watch as the one you are being called asked to buy. Just because a watch has the right brand name does not mean it is from the manufacturer. There are many Fossil models, but they each have distinguishing factors. It is part of the appeal of the brand. Fake Fossil watches will have non-existent designs or try to mix aspects of different models. Use the official shop site to check on the various models.

How to take and add links on a Fossil watch

For a proper and stylish look when wearing a Fossil watch, you want the wristband to fit perfectly. If you have a link-style wristband, this may require you to either remove or add links to shorten or lengthen the band to your wrist’s size. You can have it done professionally at a local Fossil store or a jewelry store. However, since it is a straightforward process, you can do it on your own using these instructions.

Tools needed

It helps if you invest in a proper watch link removal kit as it is inexpensive and readily available online while it removes the risk of potential damage. The kit includes a small hammer, a pin punch tool, and a watch band holder. Alternatively, you can improvise a homemade kit though it may compromise the safety of the watch.

Items you can use include a thumbtack, a small hammer, ideally with a rubber cap, and needle-nose pliers. If you are looking to add links, then purchase the number of links you need to the right size. With everything in place, follow these instructions;

·    Decide on the number of links to remove. Put on the watch and hold the extra length together to identify how many links you have to remove and divide them as evenly as possible on both sides if it is more than one.

·    Look at the back of the watchband, and you will see small arrows indicating the direction you need to push out (when removing the pins) or push in when you are replacing the pins. Essentially, you replace the pins by pushing the new ones in the opposite direction from which you remove them.

·    Use the watch band holder to position the band with the arrows on top but pointing downwards.

·   Locate the tiny holes through which the pins go through, and with the pin punch tool or a thumbtack, push firmly into the holes while hammering gently with the hammer. You can pull the pins with your hands or the needle-nose pliers.

·    Remove the pin on the other side of the link using the same process, and you can finally remove the link.

·    If you are seeking to remove the links, repeat the process on the other links.

·    If you are adding links, you only need to remove one side of the pins to detach the watch band and create space for attaching more links.

Once you removed the necessary number of the links, follow these instructions to assemble the band back.

1.   Hold the links of both sides together, making sure the channels where the pins will pass line up, and then turn the band on the sides, this time with the arrows pointing upward direction.

2.   Use your fingers and pliers to firmly push one pin into the empty channels in the opposite direction of the arrows. Tap the pin with the hammer until its head is flush level with the edges of the link. Repeat the same process with the pin on the other side.

3.   This is the same procedure you will use to add other links to the band and finally assemble the whole watch as desired.

4.   Try your watch and confirm it fits. If it does not, add or remove links as necessary using these steps.

How to change the date and time on a Fossil Watch

Changing the time on a Fossil watch depends on the number of dials it has and its design. The designs range from analog to multifunction, chronographs, smartwatches. Here is how to change the date on various Fossil watches.

1.   Analog 3 Hands with Date Movement

To set the time, do the following;

·    Pull out the crown until the third position

·    Rotate the crown clockwise to adjust both hour and minute hands

·    Return the crown back to its normal position (one)

To set the date, do the following;

·    Pull the crown out until the second position

·    Turn it clockwise to adjust the date

·    Push the crown back to its normal position at one

2.   Analog 3 hands with day/date movement

To set the time, do the following;

·    Pull the crown to the third position

·    Turn it clockwise to adjust both time and minute hands

·    Return it to the normal position

To set the date, do the following;

·    Pull the crown to position two

·    Rotate it clockwise to adjust the date setting it to the previous day.

·    Rotate it counter-clockwise to adjust the weekday setting to the previous day

·    Pull out the crown until position three

·    Turn it clockwise to set the time

·    Return it to its normal position

3.   Chronograph 3 dial watch

To adjust the time on your chronograph, do the following;

·    If your chronograph has date settings, then pull the crown to position three

·    If it does not have date settings pull it to position two

·    Rotate it clockwise to set the date

·    Push the crown back to its normal position

To adjust the date, do the following.

·    Pull the crown until the 2nd position

·    Rotate it clockwise to fix the date

·    Push the crown back to its normal position

4.   Multi-functional watch

To set the time, pull the crown out to position three and rotate it clockwise to adjust the hour and minutes hands. In doing so, the small dial for the week will move, as will the 24-hour dial. To set the date, pull the crown until position two and rotate it clockwise to set the desired date. Once done, push it back to its normal position.

While adjusting the time and date of the phone, it is important that you do not change the date between 10 pm to 2 am. That’s because it is time the watch’s movement is wired to make the automatic date changes. Changing it this time may cause interference which will damage the watch’s movement.

How to replace a Fossil watch battery

When your fossil battery is too low, it will no longer give you notifications through the haptic vibrations. All its hands will also point to the sixth position, and the watch will alert you that notifications can no longer be delivered until the battery is replaced. When this happens, you have two options;

·    You can get it to your local Fossil store and use your warranty to get a replacement battery and have it fixed for you.

·    Purchase the replacement battery on your own and install it by yourself

If you choose the latter option, the first step is to get the right battery for you. You can find out the type of battery you need by accessing the menu, then get to the My Devices tab. On this page, scroll down to the battery, and you will see your battery type. Most watches use a CR2430 coin cell battery which is readily available at most retail stores.

Some other Fossil watches like the FB-01 use a CR2025 battery. If you cannot determine beforehand the kind of battery your watch uses, then it helps to go with it to the shop to be sure you get the correct replacement. A battery usually holds a charge for about four to six months on average.

To change the battery, follow these instructions;

1.   Hold your watch upside down securely with the face resting on a cloth or in your hands to prevent scratching.

2.   Insert a coin or the provided tool for certain models in the slot on the watch’s back case.

3.   Rotate the tool/coin anti-clockwise while applying some light pressure until you line up dots and markers. Take care that you do not over-rotate the case back.

4.   Press one side of the case to pop the whole case open from the other side.

5.   If your watch does not come with a slot, press the middle of the case with your thumb and twist to the left.

6.   With the case open, remove the old battery using a small screwdriver and replace it with a new one. Place the new battery with the + or logo sign facing up.

7.   Replace the case back again, applying the right pressure as you twist clockwise this time. Confirm there are no gaps left for the gap to be fully closed.

You can save much of your battery’s charge by reducing the number of apps or people that send notifications to your watch from your phone. You can also turn all notifications off altogether and even turn off the alarm.

How to Reset a Fossil Watch

Fossil makes several quality smartwatches largely loved for their ability to track various metrics like footsteps, calories, heart rate, blood pressure, etc. The smartwatches run on Wear OS, which is Google’s version of Android for wearables. Some of the best Fossil smartwatches include Fossil.

Hybrid HR, Fossil Gen 5, and Skagen Falster 3.

While using your smartwatch, they may become frozen or develop other running issues. One of the quickest remedies to these issues is a reset. There are two types of resets, a soft reset, and a hard reset. You do not need any extra tools or appliances. Everything is within your phone.

How to do a soft reset for a Fossil watch

1.   Press the middle button to turn on the screen

2.   Press the middle button once more to access the watch’s menu

3.   Scroll down the menu and tap on Settings

4.   On the settings tab, find and select System

5.   Next select Restart

6.   Select the checkmark to confirm your choice

Once the phone is back on, confirm if the issue has been resolved. If not, then you can perform the second troubleshooting option, that is, a hard reset.

How to hard reset a Fossil watch

1.   Press on the watch’s middle button to turn on the screen

2.   Repeat the first step this time to access the menu tab

3.   Here, scroll down to find Settings and select it

4.   Under settings, scroll to locate System and tap on it

5.   Under System locate and select Disconnect & Reset

6.   Select the checkmark to confirm your choice and start the hard reset

A hard reset will restore your phone to its default settings and data. As such, you will lose;

·    All the data you had kept on the watch

·    Any apps you had added to your watch along with any related data

·    It will disconnect pairing to any paired device, including a phone

·    All your settings and preferences you had set up

Only the default apps and configurations will remain. Thus, you should secure any data you have in the phone which does not have a backup anywhere. In case the hard reset does not resolve the issue, then you will have to contact customer care or a Fossil watch expert on the step forward.

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