Seiko vs Fossil

Seiko and Fossil are two great watch brands that produce exquisite timepieces. 

Seiko undoubtedly has a greater reach and a longer and more reputable trajectory in the watchmaking sector. On the other hand, Fossil watches are more known as a fashion watch brand. Watch enthusiasts often compare it to Seiko as well.

So, let’s examine what Seiko and Fossil have to offer. There are several obvious critical considerations to make while selecting the best brand. So, you must consider each brand’s overall build quality, design, and cost. 

This article will provide much information about which brand might be the best. Read on to learn more.

TL;DR: Seiko vs Fossil

(Source: Unsplash)

Fossil Watches

Fossil is currently the fourth-largest watch manufacturer in the world. Nevertheless, it is a fashion watch brand with a rising interest in watches. It also has an extensive growth of subcontractors in the watchmaking industry in China and Hong Kong.

Initially, the Kartsotis brothers developed the company as part of a marketing initiative. In 1986, they introduced Fossil wristwatches to the American market. 

They also created their brand in Hong Kong, reminiscent of America in the 1940s and 1950s. Due to its quick success, the company’s turnover increased from $2 million in 1987 to $32.5 million in 1990. This success inspired the two brothers to start their businesses.

In 1993, they launched their capital and built their business strategy on three primary axes: vertical distribution, supply control, and expansion into fashion brands.

Pros 

• Reasonably priced
• Attractive design
• Comfortable to wear

Cons

• Some watches are too big for small wrists

(Source: Unsplash)

Seiko Watches

The Japanese words “Seiko” and “sha” both mean “home,” making them a very fitting name for what was to come in the years.

Many people are familiar with Seiko primarily for its lower-priced quartz watches. You should note that Seiko’s history of watchmaking dates back to the late 1800s and includes multiple watch-world firsts.

Kinato Hattori, a young businessman, founded Seiko almost 130 years ago as a shop in the heart of Tokyo that sold and fixed watches and clocks. Kinato purchased a factory in Tokyo called The Seikosha factory after eleven years. In 1982, he started making watches there.

For Seiko, the 1960s were a decade of important turning points. In 1964, Seiko debuted in sports by acting as the Olympics’ official timekeeper in Tokyo. In 1965, the watch brand’s first-ever Japanese diving watch debuted, gaining the company’s fame on a global scale. 

The watch also caught the attention of watch lovers devoted to Swiss movements, earning Seiko newfound prestige. 

However, the quartz crisis was the most crucial turning point for Seiko. They were the first watchmakers to succeed in this endeavor as watchmakers worldwide competed to offer the first automatic chronograph to consumers. In 1969, Seiko released the Seiko Quartz Astron, the first quartz watch in history. 

Pros 

• Great build-quality
• Value for money
• Comes in various sizes and styles

Cons

• Some users complained of its accuracy

In-Depth Comparison of Seiko vs Fossil

Specification

	Seiko	Fossil
Founded in	1881	1984
Design	Classy and Minimalist	Fashionable and dressy
Warranty	Five years	Two years
Price	$275 to $6,500	$20-$1000

Design

Seiko watches are renowned for their high-quality standards and craftsmanship in the watch industry. Though this isn’t always the case, Seiko is frequently more conventional in design and aesthetics.

These timepieces are stylish, beautiful, and well-fitting. Celebrities and members of the government make up the majority of their customers. While their products are most suited for formal attire, you can’t wear them on less formal occasions.

Seiko is, without a doubt, a pioneer in the high-end watch sector. They have created many different wristwatch types, including mechanical, automatic, GPS-enabled, chronograph, and timepieces powered by solar energy.

Additionally, Seiko watches are generally so comfortable, straightforward, and attractive that it is almost hard to choose one incorrectly.

However, Fossil watches may be the right option if you want something distinctive to accompany your fashion since they offer well-crafted dress watches. Although Fossil is more well-known as a fashion brand than a watch manufacturer, the brand still produces high-quality watches.

Moreover, Fossil manufactures mechanical, digital, and smartwatches. You can select a model from the many available based on your preferences or personality. Also, they update their designs to reflect the newest fashions.

Fossil watches are currently available in various styles, including digital chronograph watches, analog quartz-powered watches, and even wristwatches with vintage-inspired design elements.

Simply put, Seiko’s watches are renowned for their excellent value for money and use better materials than Fossil. However, in terms of design Fossil (literally known as a designer brand) produces great fashion watches.

Movement

Seiko is one of the few fully integrated producers in the watch industry. The three movements offered by the company are the mechanical (hand-wound or automatic) movement, the in-house Spring Drive movement, and the quartz watch movement.

Quartz or mechanical movements, both of which are dependable and accurate, are used in Fossil watches. While you can find the movement in many watches for around $100, Fossil’s Seagull Caliber TY2806, a well-known automatic movement, offers an exceptional accuracy of +10/-35 seconds daily.

Meanwhile, the battery-operated collections from Fossil have Miyota movements. You will lose up to 20 seconds each month. Fossil also briefly offered a hybrid movement style called the mecha-quartz. A quartz-based caliber with an automated second hand was described as the Twist movement.

Seiko’s movements operate better and are of excellent quality than Fossil’s movements because Seiko invented the quartz movement watch and other technologies like Spring Drive, Tri-Synchro regulator, etc.

Build Quality

Seiko makes both mechanical and quartz timepieces. Their watches’ casings are made of stainless steel, which is relatively standard. 

However, Seiko has its line of mineral crystals known as hardlex for dial windows. Although not nearly as scratch-resistant as sapphire, hardlex is more scratch-resistant than conventional mineral dial glass.

Meanwhile, the watch bands are made of various materials, including rubber, silicone, leather, stainless steel, and polyurethane. Seiko offers models with water resistance ranging from 30 to 200 meters, as seen in their diving watches.

On the other hand, Fossil watches quality is decent compared to Seiko. In addition to producing smartwatches, Fossil also makes quartz and mechanical watches. They also include stainless steel watch casings and mineral crystal dial windows. 

The bands might be silicone, leather, or stainless steel, depending on the model. However, most versions of the Fossil watch only offer 30 meters of water resistance, which is a relatively low level of water resistance.

Seiko is in the lead regarding construction quality because many of their watches have stronger water resistance than Fossil and feature hardlex dial windows.

Cost

Both brands offer timepieces that range in price from cheap to midrange. With both companies, you can generally find something at different prices that will suit just about any budget.

Seiko watches usually range from $275 to $6,500. Fossil watches typically cost between $30 and $1,000.

Fossil produces affordable watches that suit your demands for a daily watch. Seiko is the winner because its designs and materials are of greater quality for longevity despite being more expensive.

Most Popular Models

(Source: Amazon)

Seiko Spirit SARB033

The SARB033 is a renowned timepiece. This watch is highly regarded for its timeless design, 38mm size, and outstanding value. All of this results in a timepiece that is quite simple to wear on most wrist sizes.

The 20mm lug width makes it the ideal daily accessory and is perfect for frequent strap changes. The watch is also surprisingly adaptable despite having a more dressy look.

Moreover, the Seiko 6R15 automatic movement powers the watch, which has manual winding, hacking, and a power reserve of 50 hours. The case features details you’d expect on a watch costing more than £500.

Lastly, the watch’s top is vertically brushed, while the sides and edges are polished, creating the perfect balance of polished and brushed surfaces.

(Source: Amazon)

Fossil Decker Quartz Steel Chronograph

Although it is pricey for what it is, the Decker CH2573 is surprisingly decent. The silicon strap is a significant contributor to its comfort when worn. It also provides exceptional night visibility and has a pleasant feel on the wrist. 

In almost every way, it’s a reasonably normal watch.

Fossil has discovered a silicone strap that is both stylish and pleasant to wear. Silicone straps are frequently hit or miss. Instead of being stiff like a rubber strap often is, it is soft and conforms to your wrist. In addition, it doesn’t pull on your arm hair, unlike other straps.

Lastly, the clasp is made of polished steel and is an ordinary piece. It does appear to be handling use reasonably well.

What Do People Say About It?

Amazon Reviews

An Amazon Customer named José l. Muñoz left a positive review for the Seiko Watch (SNKE53J1). He wrote,

“I bought this watch last October. The shipping was correct, taking about 10-12 days to get from Japan to Spain. This [watch] is a good clock made in Japan, a Seiko 5 with caliber 7S26, it could come with the best accuracy.

Advantages: value for money, nice, rear pool.

Disadvantages: accuracy (and that comes from Japan) and armys.”

Another Amazon customer, WillyOne, rated five stars and wrote a review for the Fossil quartz watch, saying,

“The weight of the watch is ‘just right.’ It’s substantial enough to feel the watch is an excellent quality build, yet it’s not too heavy. I have worn it every day since receiving it, and of the many watches I own, it is now the most comfortable watch I own. 

The ‘patterned’ silicone strap definitely adds to the watch’s overall appearance, and the silicone used is extremely flexible and has a ‘softness.’ I’m always concerned about silicone straps causing my wrist to perspire, and most will, but that has absolutely not been an issue so far with this one.

The size of the watch is ‘just right.’ The trend today seems to be toward large watches, with the case on this measuring 45mm large, but even on my thin 7″ wrist, it doesn’t appear overwhelming. 

I have several watches 44mm to 50mm, and they ‘feel’ large, but this one doesn’t. I think the relatively slim, 12mm thick case is what really makes this watch not ‘feel’ large and also a big reason it’s so comfortable.

I guess this watch’s styling caught my attention initially, as is usually the case. I recommend Fossil highly, and especially this watch.”

Final Verdict: Which Is Better?

According to the factors we’ve examined here, Seiko offers an incredible selection of watch styles with better construction than Fossil. But that does not imply that Fossil has no place in the world. 

If you’re looking for a stylish, modern watch, Fossil is undoubtedly the company you should consider. Seiko is the go-to brand if you are looking for everything and anything else because it is more of a jack of all trades. 

Finally, both watch companies manufacture quality yet affordable watches, so the choice of the watch depends entirely on your personal preferences and taste.

If you like this article, read our other articles at Eveswatch.com.

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