What's New for 2024
Regarding this site in 2024 I have a few things in the planning stage right now. In no particular order are…..
A few weeks into 2024, let’s talk about what we’re doing this year.
First of all, in 2024 we celebrate 14 years of blogging about Fossil watches. Ironic that some watches from our 2010 launch date are now collectible and/or just as old as the mid-90’s watches that we started to talk about in 2010. More on this in future posts.
This year also represents Fossil’s 40th birthday – what could Fossil have up their sleeves? I have no clue, but we know from previous anniversaries they’ll be something. The 30th anniversary watches were aplenty and while not super collectible yet, they certainly were cool.
Regarding this site in 2024 I have a few things in the planning stage right now. In no particular order:
Finish off the Fossil Times EU edition series of posts.
Create a Fossil Speedway gallery similar to the Fossil Defender gallery. I have a lot of pictures and model numbers ready to promote.
Post more current collaboration pieces. Swallowing my pride here and we’ll be doing more content of the current limited-edition collaborations & watches as they come out most likely without a physical product in hand to review.
A few site enhancements including fixing the search function on the site! Lots of great content doesn’t seem to get surfaced
If I feel brave I want to refresh the design of this site and that maybe required if I want all 14 years of content to appear.
Facebook enhancements including the buy/sell module. I’ll never enhance this site to offer things for sale, but Facebook seems to have a nice platform where yours truly won’t get taxed if sales are made.
Speaking of social media, the Underground Fossil Collectors Club is only represented on Facebook with our collectors’ group of 1000+ collectors. There are a few sellers on Poshmark that link back to this site, but I have zero affiliation with them and their exorbitant prices for Fossil watches. Anything you’ve seen on Poshmark, Instagram, Twitter (X) is not me or part of the official “club”. Facebook only for now because I’m a typical Gen X who can’t be bothered.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/328540913956
Lastly 2024 is going to be a great year — I’m excited about the potential 40th anniversary watches and the branding campaign that we all love and pair that with the recent announcement by Fossil that they are out of the smartwatch business it’s a great time to be a traditional watch fan!
Thoughts on Reviews and Recent Releases in the Fossil Collectors Club
Some of you have been asking and maybe others are wondering where did all the reviews go primarily on the new releases. As a Fossil fan & collector I’m honored that other fans have reached out asking where these went. Truly honored! With that in mind I wanted to officially post a response because there has a been a shift in the type & frequency of content published on our site.
Greetings Fossil Fans!!!
Some of you have been asking and maybe others are wondering where did all the reviews go primarily on the new releases. As a Fossil fan & collector I’m honored that other fans have reached out asking where these went. Truly honored! With that in mind I wanted to officially post a response because there has a been a shift in the type & frequency of content published on our site.
My approach to this site and community is first and foremost as a collector and I know a thing or two about what collectors want to consume. Unlike other watch sites that post branding approved photos and thoughts about the watches via those photos – I like to have my hands on the piece, the packaging and then review it from a collector’s standpoint.
My collector heart gets beating when I can make a connection in the review from the old to the new, like what we saw in 2019 with the Starmaster release. Fossil has almost a 40 year history and it’s great to make the connection for old & new collectors in a review. Does that limit my reach in the standard watch news space? Yes, it certainly does. Am I heart broken when watch reviewers don’t review the Fossil packaging? OMG YES!
In 2019 and into 2020 I had physical access to most limited-edition Fossil watches and could wear them, review them and post at my leisure. I did my best to post in sync with the official launch dates because without a large social media presence this is honestly the best I could do. It felt good to be an insider.
Without access now to the physical pieces unless I purchase them, I don’t plan on reviewing limited-edition watches via photographs or what information I can pull from the website. Call me old fashioned (because I am), but that’s my approach.
Some of the new pieces & collaborations look great and once I get my hands on them I’ll be sure to add a review in my own time – I’m dying to wear and post about the new Fossil Heritage watches and even some of the Harry Potter pieces that released today.
Coming soon is a Fossil Speedway review from 2006 that I’ve been on the hunt for since about 2006…haha. In my own time indeed!
-Terry
11 years of the Underground Fossil Collectors Club: another retrospective
Every February 10, I like to take some time to give an update on how things are going here in the home of the Underground Fossil Collectors Club. A time of reflection, updates and maybe even some ideas for the future. Just to preface - 11 years ago I started this website as a shout out to other collectors of Fossil stuff to build a community. Stuff is the official term that encompasses advertising, catalogs, limited editions, men’s watches, ladies watches and packaging all from Fossil. Over the years we’ve uncovered a lot of amazing collections.
Every February 10, I like to take some time to give an update on how things are going here in the home of the Underground Fossil Collectors Club. A time of reflection, updates and maybe even some ideas for the future. Just to preface - 11 years ago I started this website as a shout out to other collectors of Fossil stuff to build a community. Stuff is the official term that encompasses advertising, catalogs, limited editions, men’s watches, ladies watches and packaging all from Fossil. Over the years we’ve uncovered a lot of amazing collections.
First let me give you an update. The past 2 years we had a nice relationship with Fossil to review and promote both ladies and men’s limited-edition watches from the official Fossil Collectors Club. Watch reviews were something new for us to post and it was a wonderful experience to learn the lingo of watch reviewing. I was immensely honored to be part of it and was always surprised to get contacted from readers with questions on models, specs, features, availability, etc. Intertwined in those limited-edition reviews, I sorted through a lot of my old catalogs and Fossil Times to give a good mix of new & old.
Going forward into 2021 I don’t know if I’ll have any new Fossil limited edition pieces to highlight from the official Fossil Collectors Club, but I can give you a sneak peek into my wish list for 2021 content as it sits today. Some of you old time collectors are going to be thrilled!
European Fossil Times. I have them all thanks to our friend Heino
A special Fossil Speedway
Fossil Notebooks
Finish posting the watches from the Around the World Series – only a few years late!
Collectors Club Kits – We’re missing a few in the archives - oops!
Fossil Compass pieces
Oddball scans including FSL, RoadTrip, Swiss and even some Defender brochures
Hybrid HR – if and when Fossil releases one with a color screen, you bet it’ll be posted here.
See the latest FTW7019 Review Here! I love this watch
I’m toying with the idea of another watch guide similar to the Defender Watch Guide. Open to suggestions!
A few older limited-edition reviews from the 2010’s that I did not previously cover.
After 11 years of content on this site it is also getting cluttered and hard to find content. I’ll be doing some tag cleanup and some shortcuts on the homepage to find sections easier.
Analytics are fun
I also like to take time annually and highlight the most viewed pieces of content on the site. Excluding main navigation pages from the report like blog, about, etc…the top pages in order of popularity from 2020 were:
In addition, here are some of the more popular search terms & phrases used to find content on the site in no particular order
Elvis Presley, FS-4473, Men’s Fossil Defender, ftw7008, fossil forrestor (notice the misspelling?), fossil watch collectors, fossil solar watches, fossil crosley, fossil pride watch, old fossil watch, cleveland fossil store, fossil watches from the 90’s, road trip Fossil
I have 100’s more of terms used, but these stuck out. I’m always fascinated in how people find our site and what they do when they are here. 2020 was also a year where a lot of readers finally found the Contact Me page.
How do I know this?
Whelp….in the early days of the pandemic I was getting 7-10 messages a week with people asking me about old Fossil watches. I started to respond to all of them with great thought and care believing they were all collectors. Quickly found out that everyone was cleaning out their closets and selling their stuff on eBay! While you can’t blame them because I did the same thing, the majority of readers never said THANK YOU or even acknowledged my replies! I would sometimes go to eBay and type in terms from their item and on more than one occasion I would find my entire email pasted in the listing description! While it’s nice to be an expert, it’s exhausting being taken advantage of with little to no return. Going forward I will be more cautious in providing values or input on Fossil items for people looking for the quick flip.
It wasn’t all bad though. A lot of messages were people looking for specific pieces, telling me about their collections, Fossil memories and asking for more information about reviews & new watches that I’ve posted. That is why this site exists and I have tremendous pride being part of this for the past 11 years. Of all the watches people are still looking for I would say with 100% certainty the Crosley Fossil watch from 2019 takes the cake with a few messages a month with readers asking for one and offering me big money for mine!
Feel free to Contact Me anytime and looking forward to going into our twelfth year.
10 years later – a retrospective
10 years into the Underground Fossil Collectors Club, what can you look forward to in the coming months & years? I’m glad you asked.
Years of buying old Fossil watches on eBay and getting those little inserts about the Fossil Collectors Club I was left to wonder did I miss it. Did it ever exist? There was nothing online about the Collectors Club – no Google Images, no Facebook posts, no social media and besides archive.org there was nothing!
I took it upon myself to start the trend (because I’m a trendsetter) and on a cold snowy Cleveland, Ohio evening on Feb 10, 2010 I re-launched the Fossil Collectors Club.
10 YEARS AGO!
Within a few months of launching the site, I already had been in contact with collectors from all over the world who were excited to share their knowledge and their collections with me! After one year of very regular posts, I changed the format of the site from being less of a blog to more of a library of knowledge regarding Fossil watches and advertising.
So….after 3 site redesigns, 2 different URLs, 109 blog posts, 2 trips to Fossil HQ, many emails, a few beers in person with people from all over the place and a lot of failed social media attempts, I’d say the site & community of collectors has been a continued success.
We have steady readership on this site as well as on Facebook – the numbers don’t lie and I’ve always been amazed that people still read things over 140 characters, leave comments and reach out to me with questions or updates.
some of my collection - proudly displayed
10 years later what’s different? Whelp I’m glad you asked. First and foremost, Fossil re-launched the Fossil Collectors Club officially back in March 2019!!!!! We were ecstatic to see the emails, the marketing promotions and a slew of brand-new Limited Editions & Series that have kept us busy. There’s a Limited Edition Fossil Defender….that is a big deal!
In 10 years, I have a learned a lot about watches, watch culture & Fossil history. I thought I was the Fossil expert and some of our members/readers have proved me wrong! The knowledge base you have on hand when passionate collectors unite is a thing of beauty. At this point in my career I can look at any Fossil watch and based on the logo or style just about tell you the year of the piece and then prove it by showing a catalog page from January 1994…yeah I know it’s AMAZING!
What can you look forward to in the coming months & years? Again, I’m glad you asked.
A lot more catalogs and scans. I have a fine collection of collateral and I need to scan it in and share it!
Coverage of the official Fossil Collectors Club including Limited Editions, Curator Series & Archival Series releases.
More reviews! Recently we reviewed the FTW7008 HR Collider Hybrid watch and the feedback has been fantastic and we’re looking forward to reviewing more watches old and new.
Women’s watches!
Updated Limited Edition checklists & Series Guides.
As always reach out to me if you have any questions, comments, or just want to chat Fossil.
Contact Me
some of my Defenders and Speedway merch on display.
A RETURN BACK TO THE OFFICIAL COLLECTORS CLUB
Howdy Fossil Fans!
Today is a red letter date in the history of Fossil collectors - after 21 years the official Fossil Collectors Club has relaunched from Fossil. Yes, you read that right, it’s 2019 and Fossil is relaunching the Fossil Collectors Club. How did this happen? Cue the flashback….
I’ve been collecting Fossil watches since 1996. I would find watches on eBay, Craigslist, garage sales, resale shops and always find a little flyer or brochure in the tins talking about the Fossil Collectors Club. The short lived Collectors Club ended in 1998 and there was NOTHING online about it and zero community around it. In those dark years I would collect & gather any materials I possibly could find from Fossil including newsletters, brochures, catalogs, web archives and anything else.
Sometime in 2009, I decided I had enough Fossil content and frustration with the lack of community that I had enough to start the site www.fossilcollectorsclub.com
The site was launched with the hopes of bringing Fossil collectors together AND re-igniting the Fossil Collectors Club from Fossil HQ themselves vs. just a passionate Fossil fan from Cleveland. I had the URL, Facebook group, Flickr page setup and probably a few other sites all linking back into this site to bring people together who collect (not buy & resell) these fine timepieces & collectibles. I’ve had some communication & one awesome trip to Fossil headquarters over the years to discuss history & various product lines, but no mention of ever re-launching the Fossil Collectors Club came up until just a few weeks ago.
And that brings us to modern day….
Starting today (March 25, 2019) the www.fossilcollectorsclub.com will be redirecting over to Fossil’s official Collectors Club page and eventually be owned by Fossil altogether. On this page you’ll have the ability to read about Fossil’s new Collectors Club, the Archival Series of Limited Editions and signup! Please signup!
For the fans I’ve acquired over the years, our little fan site will always be located here:
http://www.undergroundfossilcollectors.club
In the coming weeks & months, you’ll see some changes in this site’s identity and branding. I’m super excited and can’t say now how this fan site fits into the Fossil ecosphere, but please remember this is all still coming from one passionate fan from Cleveland and not Fossil. The overall identify and future main URL is currently in the works, but I’ve been assured that we have a home in the future now that the Collectors Club is back in action!
So here’s to a new generation of Fossil Collectors Club starting in 2019! I’m very proud of the community we’ve built here & on Facebook. Now a little blurb about the OFFICIAL FOSSIL COLLECTORS CLUB that was recently announced at Baselworld:
A tribute to more than three decades of design, this curation of limited editions celebrates Fossil's innovative spirit. Rediscover our beloved past styles with the reissues of the Archival Series, or explore our collaborative exclusives with the Curator Series. Welcome to the only club where Fossil fanatics can continue collecting one-of-a-kind accessories for years to come.
More to come obviously stay tuned to Fossil, Fossil Collectors Club and this site for the latest!
Here’s to the new www.fossilcollectorsclub.com
AN ANNUAL REPORT YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO READ - Fossil 2000
Have you ever been excited to read an annual report? I mean really excited to drill into the numbers, forecasts and stock overviews? No you haven't? I'm not surprised, BUT let me introduce you to an annual report that will actually change your mind.
Introducing Fossil's Annual Report from the year 2000. I heartily advise you however to glaze over the financials and look at just the artwork. I've been looking for this report for years (in paper format) to scan for the site and I recently discovered that it's already posted online on www.fossilgroup.com. I've uploaded the PDF to this post just for you to review and keep in case one day it disappears from Fossil's site. If you look on Page 21 you'll see a certain gentleman that's been part of this site since the very beginning.
I've always called him Ward, but I knew I liked him back in 2010 and apparently he's been a Fossil fan since 2000. Thanks Ward!
Ward says this is amazing.
As a bonus I've included a photo of yours truly looking at the paper copy of the Fossil 2000 Annual Report on a recent trip I took to the Fossil World Headquarters near Dallas, Texas. I don't always read annual reports, but when I do it's a Fossil Annual Report from 2000 with stellar artwork and funny little graphics. More on that trip in days to come.
By clicking on the image below you'll be able to download the entire 2000 Annual Report. Enjoy the show!
Reasons to get excited
I have to be honest that I’ve been super inspired lately with the stats on the Fossil Collectors site, the activity on Facebook, the emails I’ve gotten from random people and some of the things I’m seeing online around older Fossil merchandise. The Facebook group has been around for a few years, but lately I’m adding new people on almost a daily basis and then on the other hand, I already got a few emails this year from visitors to the site who aren’t on Facebook. Really great dynamic and as long as you’re a fan – it’s all good. It’s been great. I’m even getting excited on some of the newer stuff it looks like Fossil has in the works for the 30th anniversary – I don’t work for Fossil or get paid for this, but I saw some 30th anniversary items and I’m excited.
Anyways I wanted to feature some images I got from an individual who emailed me. It’s a Fossil DE-1534, not sure the difference in this watch vs. my DE-1500, but his watch features a stainless steel band, which is not one I’ve seen in my years of collecting these. Most of my Defenders, the newer ones have a SS band, but not these older ones.
Also including pics of a DE-1537 on the bottom, one of the few Defenders I don’t have. Looks great with the original brown leather band.
I’ve added these to the Defender Guide as well as few others I’ve gotten in recent months. Keep the notes and emails coming. Happy collecting (and wearing)!
a new year and a new post
I need to confess my sins to everyone. It's been a year since my last post and I can't believe it - I'm horrible! My hobby hasn't changed and neither has my pursuit of collecting Fossil watches and corporate swag. I bought more watches in 2013 than any other year (don't tell my wife), but in the same breath 2013 was the busiest year of my professional career. I travelled all over the world and as glamorous as it sounds, it's a lot of work and prepartion before the fact. 2014 proves to be a better year for work/life balance and I'm already working on some changes to this site for 2014 -- it's on my goals for 2014, so it will get done!
Happy New Year to all. Here's some of my thoughts for site in 2014.
- I'm working on a new site design a new domain registrar. The URL will stay the same, but the look and feel will be changed. I've already upgraded Squarespace to the new platform and working on the bugs with the migration from their 5 platform to 6. So far I am not happy with the template selection and not savvy enough to make it look "vintage".
- Looking at ways to make the site more interactive. I've met some greater Fossil nuts than me on this journey and I want to give them the opportunity to post and/or share their knowledge -- right now the posts are limited to me (I apologize).
- I'm toying with removing the forum and just forcing everyone to use Facebook.
- If you aren't on the Facebook page, please join -- I'm much more active on there and so are you!
- Open to suggestions from anyone!
- The majority of the web traffic to this site is people looking for Fossil Defender. I have plenty more Defenders to post, but I'm going to remove the prices off of the Defender guide. The prices on eBay are awfully high lately and I shutter to think it's my fault.
There you have it. What's in store for the future.
I leave you with my latest find. It's a new Fossil watch still sold in stores, I got a great deal on it over the holidays at the outlet store in Jeffersonville, Ohio. It's a JR-1432 Compass Chronograph Leather Watch.
Cheers and Happy collecting in 2014!
Happy Anniversary from my wife to me -- JR-1432
Some well needed updates and new Fossil Limited Edition Checklist
First of all, Happy Autumn! It's been a busy few months and I want to thank some of you for reaching out to me -- great to see passion and interest with our little site and also being envious of some of your finds. I've been going through my Fossil stuff and created a list of topics to talk about and I WILL be more active on the site, forum and Facebook page during the fall and winter months. Once the weather turns here in the great Northeast, the bikes, the kids toys and my 1958 Chevy go into storage and we begin the hibernation process until April. It's really a great time of year (until it snows).
Anyways onto the updates.
I've updated the Fossil Defender guide with some recent additions from eBay and my personal collection. You'll find more recent pricing and some additional models that I had no clue existed. I've recently picked up a few Defenders on eBay that I'll be posting about soon. One of the Defenders DF-2001 has all the paperwork, manual, felt box and a nice little pillow. I've been after this one for years!
The forum. The discussion forum doesn't get a whole lot of traffic and I am going to start posting and encouraging more conversations there. A long time collector emailed me some pics of his massive collection that is for sale and I'm in process now of gathering up the images and listing out the pricing. I encourage you to do the same. As much as I love eBay, I hate the fee structure and dealing with 0 feedback bidders, so if we could buy/sell/trade watches in the forum it's a great example of a community and it's free. Go for it! Also a great place for general conversations especially if you don't use Facebook.
Limited Edition Checklist. An ex-Fossil employee met up with us on Facebook and one of his first orders of business was to update the checklist. I admit the original one I had on there was just a copy of a checklist I found in some old Fossil literature. It could be a full-time job to update this checklist because of the massive amount of Limited Editions out there! Our new friend has done the hard work and here's your new updated checklist!
New Fossil Limited Edition Check List
Finally just a reminder that there is a Facebook group out there for Fossil Collectors. There is a bit more activity on there and more day to day type of posts. I've gotten a few emails from people saying they aren't on Facebook and not to focus on it, I get that, but if you are on Facebook please consider joining our group and adding to the discussions.
Happy Collecting!
Updated Facebook Group for Fossil Collector's Club
Yes the posts have been relaxed lately, but the action doesn't have to stop here because I'm lazy and enjoying summer. The Facebook group has been updated to the new version of their groups tool. It looks great and people can finally be added again. Currently I'm organizing pictures on there to be in albums. Please feel free to keep the conversations going and post pictures in there as well. I'd love to see what everyone has! This Facebook group is for all of us to enjoy.
I'm working on a few posts for the site here on my new Dick Tracy Watch, 2 new Defenders I picked up and some random advertising pieces I've gotten a hold of this summer. Looking forward to more posts in the fall when the days are shorter and it's too cold for me to enjoy the great outdoors!
Facebook Group - Fossil Watch Collectors Club