Fossil Defender: some DF series scans
If you've spent anytime on this site, you'll know all about our love here for the Fossil Defender series. Launched in the mid-90's the original DE series had 43 watches ranging from DE-1500 thru 1544, skipping a few in between including 1529 & 1530.
The next series of Defender watches were the DF series. In total there were 24 of these watches released and you can tell they were a different animal as far as design and build quality from the DE. In some of my research I've seen it mentioned that the Defender series was actually designed and assembled by Zodiac before Fossil bought them in 2001. Fossil was trying to have a higher end watch series to compete with a higher price point. I can't confirm it's true, but this could explain why some of the DF series watches retailed for $395, which is a far cry from the $150 for the DE-1527, which was the highest priced of the original DE series.
Of course we all know Fossil recently has relaunched the Defender series and we couldn't be happier. The interchangeable straps are brilliant and I'm always looking for the new straps to mix mine up....we'll call it the DEC series for now and later on we'll get them added to our guides.
Onto the scans! Recent events had made me realize how rare these booklets are that came in the DF series boxes. One of our Defender gurus, Adam has graciously scanned the booklet from one of his and I just love the writing on these scans -- it's so serious and reminds me of a certain catalog that Elaine wrote for on Seinfeld. Bonus bullet points below breaking down the series in case you're collecting them all.
- Spitfire 1000 Series: DF-1001 thru 1012
- Spinnaker 2000 Series: DF-2001 thru 2002
- Streamliner 3000 Series: DF-3001 thru 3004
- Avion 4000 Series: DF-4001 thru 4002
- Starboard 5000 Series: DF-5001 thru 5004
Fossil Times: the importance of a newsletter
Back in the 80's my friends and I had a Def Leppard club. We signed our names in a notebook and listened to Hysteria on loop as we swung on the swingset in my friend's backyard. One thing the Def Leppard club didn't have and it led to its demise was a newsletter. Yes a tangible newsletter filled with Def Leppard goodness and mailed to it's members on semi-regular basis -- this would have been key to keeping the club alive!
One of the reasons the Fossil Collectors Club is still around albeit via fans is because of the Fossil Times newsletter that I found a few years ago when I purchased the 1995 Collectors Club kit on eBay. As my family grows and the clutter is creeping like The Blob into every room of our house I almost forgot I had this issue until this past week when I started digging through my collection.
From 1994 to 1998 the Fossil Collectors Club mailed out 3-4 issues a year to it's collectors. The newsletters had all the Fossil goodness you would expect including spotlight characters, limited edition release information, sneak previews and even one that announced the upcoming Defender line - xoxo.
Any good collectors newsletter should feature the collector of the month and the Fossil Times did that too. We should start one here. Our Facebook group is growing and some of the members have more watches than I do! Something to consider....
For your visual enjoyment I have scanned this issue of the Fossil Times that started it all. Volume 1 Issue 3 circa 1994. My only question is what happened to Larry Clark?
Fossil Watch commercial circa 1991
Occasionally we all find ourselves going down the Youtube rabbit hole in search of internet gold. The video below is a plethora of early Fossil advertising, 90's watches and swinging sounds and I had to share!
Fossil Retro Pilot Series
Vintage aviation is cool. The pilots back in the 40's looked cool and I know that wasn't the intent, but still that look is timeless and countless modern day brands have tried to capitalize on it. I've bought into it and if you Google military watch or pilot's watch, the results are endless. Who hasn't fallen down that wormhole a few times?
Fossil back in 1988 came out with the Retro-Pilot series of watches. This could very much be one of the first collections or series of watches they created. Due to the age of these watches or possibly lower production numbers they are not common - I've only seen several watches show up online in recent years. The watches I have don't even have model numbers or years on the back, but they did have model numbers and I've included them below with the images. In total there were 22 watches featured in this collection and they ranged from Paratrooper, Navy Diver and various pilot themed watches all with leather bands.
A few details is that the cases on the 2 I've had both measured 37MM, which is really small. The bands were 18MM and embossed on the leather band is Fossil Air.
Rumor has it Fossil is soon to return to these roots with a Vintage Aviation Series in 2015. Regardless enjoy the several watches I've found. I wouldn't categorize them all as pilot watches, but they are "distinct and unconventional as those daring aviators that inspired them".
Fossil postcards - Round 2
Hard to believe it's been about 2 years since we last posted the first round of Fossil postcards. I wanted to send this off as a Christmas gift for 2014. 3 more cards from the archives.
Screenshots below with the URL for a Photoshop file (.psd)
Say hello to the new Fossil Defender
I never thought this would happen, but a recent search on the Fossil site brought up a new line of Fossil Defender watches and custom bands. Fossil has brought back my favorite line of their watches! It has been fantastic this year to see Fossil do some throwback pieces and products that speak of the older watches and advertising -- the time period that I focus on with this site and accompanying Facebook group. I certainly love the new watches and have way too many than I care to admit, but the oldies are where it's at for me and many of you. My hope is that these throwback watches, the limited and special editions and now the accompanying Defender line isn't just a marketing thing for the 30th anniversary, but that this trend continues.
These are just some of the new cases that are showing up on the site. You have several options for a band that needs to be ordered separately - all bands appear to be 20MM
In addition to the excitement I feel for the return of Fossil Defender watches, I can't help but wonder if this site had anything to do with the return of the Defender line. Honestly until a few years ago there was nothing online about older Fossil watches. I don't get paid to do this site and don't have any sponsorships or product drops for what I post about. I saw a need and filled it as a collector and this year the metrics have been through the roof! Fossil Defender is the number one traffic driver to the site and the metrics recently have been showing quite a lot of traffic from Fossil corporate. Put that together with some other signs and something was stirring.
Thanks also go out to you, in addition to the traffic -- the emails and photos you send along help to build the galleries and checklists that drive interest. With all your help, The Fossil Defender gallery is coming along nicely, with some recent new additions.
I am very excited and I hope that this line of watches does well for Fossil. Who knows maybe the next stop would be bringing back the Fossil Collectors Club? Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.....
Fossil Collectors Club Kits - one for the archives
With a site called Fossil Collectors Club, one would have thought a post like this would have been created many years ago to showcase all of the various kits from 1994-1998 that was available to members. Leave it to our friend Heino to spot the gap and create the post below.
1994 Fossil Collectors Club Kit
The 1994 Fossil Collectors Club Kit came in a paper box filled with some goodies. The box itself is a work of art, hard to display, but it is covered with 50's scenes.
This one was the first kit of a series of 5 (1994 to 1998) and was only available in USA.
As found in later kits, the paperwork is a real gem of information and some misc. print items also exist such as the membership card with the club member's name on it. A nice Collector's Club pin is included, along with a branded t-shirt.
The 1994 Fossil Collector's Club watch is a beautiful piece and very unique. Has a timeless design and is very clean. The watch is model number LE-9442.
1995 Fossil Collectors Club Kit
The 1995 Fossil Collectors Club Kit came in a pizza box basically filled with many goodies. The box itself is a work of art, hard to display, but it is covered with 50's scenes again.
This one was the second kit of a series of 5 (1994 to 1998) and was also only available in USA. This one has the most items. Similar items to the 1994 kit, but this one includes and issue of the Fossil Times -- the much coveted newsletter collectors are always looking for! On the back of the Fossil Times is the limited edition checklist.
Kit includes the pin and a the membership card -- see a detailed post on the 1995 Fossil Collectors Club kit and also some more details photos on Flickr. A brochure of items is also included, but apparently mine was missing this.
A t-shirt is also included in this kit. The shirt only has the logo on the front with no other markings anywhere.
The 1995 Fossil Collector's Club watch is a beautiful piece. Has a timeless design and is very classic. The watch is model number LE-9464.
Heino says, "I found this piece online – I was very happy to get it because it wasn`t available in AUSTRIA! Special of my watch is that it is number 00001 of 10000!"
1995 Fossil Collectors Club Kit
1996 Fossil Collectors Club Kit
The 1996 Fossil Collectors Club Kit came in the first tin box and filled with the usual goodies. The tin is really a nice piece of art and is really nice to display vs. the pizza boxes.
This one was the third kit of a series of 5 (1994 to 1998) and was the first watch which was also available in USA and in Germany (Fossil Europe) – the Germany Collectors-Club was started in 1996 and Heino was an Austrian a member of it since the beginning.
One of a great pieces in the kit is the Mini Bobbing-Head-Fred, it's a smaller version of the Fred displays used in stores.
Some miscellaneous print items also exists such as the membership card. Included also is a Collector's Club key-fob. Also had a sticker inside.
The 1996 Fossil Collector's Club watch is a beautiful time-piece. Has a nice pilot-watch design, shows a plane and I get comments on this watch all the time when I wear it. The watch is model number LE-9475.
1996 Fossil Collectors Club Kit
1997 Fossil Collectors Club Kit
The 1997 Fossil Collectors Club Kit came in a tin box like a little travel case basically filled with some goodies. The tin itself is a work of art and good to display. I like how the goodies appear in the kit -- really nice for display and storage.
This one was the fourth kit of a series of 5 (1994 to 1998) and was the second watch in Germany ( Fossil Europe ) – the Germany Collectors-Club, which started in 1996.
The mini-globe is unique and basically is the same as the big globe displays used in stores. The globe did signify it was a Collectors Club version. Kit also included postcards, which were a first. Postcards in detail can be found in an earlier post.
I've posted before on the 1997 watch and there are various bands -- I've seen stainless and leather. The 1997 Fossil Collector's Club watch is a beautiful time-piece. It shows a little world-card like a compass. The watch is model number LE-9489.
1997 Fossil Collectors Club Kit
1998 Fossil Collectors Club Kit
The 1998 Fossil Collectors Club Kit came in a tin box like lunch box. Of all the kits, this is the most fun to display.
This one was the fifth and the last kit of a series of 5 (1994 to 1998) and was the third watch available in Germany ( Fossil Europe).
A nice addition to the kit and previous kits is the mini display piece. This kit featured a mini train, which is the small brother to the larger train used in store.
The 1998 Fossil Collector's Club watch is unique because it's the only pocketwatch created for the Collectors Club. It came on a heavy duty chain and featured in a nice wooden box. The watch is model number LE-9492.
1998 Fossil Collectors Club Kit - final one :(
Heino's Fossil display collection (archives)
As I posted a few weeks ago, we have a Fossil world record holder in our midst and Heino has graciously offered to write-up an article on some of the ceramic collectibles he has in his collection.
For the sake of this article, we'll call these the Fossil "ceramic" series. Take a review and if we've missed any we would love to know!
Fossil Phone Card
Remember the 90's? Remember the phone card craze before we all had mobile phones? I didn't know it at the time, but Fossil got in on it as well.
I got this card from one of our readers last year who kindly mailed it to me and I recently found it again while swapping offices. It's 10 free minutes from Fossil with services provided by MCI.
Wonder if it still works?
We have a Fossil World Recorder Holder in our midst....
If you haven't been over to the Facebook page in awhile, I encourage you to check it out. We've had quite a bit of activity lately from who I am calling, "Fossil's biggest fan". He has been posting pictures on Facebook of items that I had clue existed. I've gotten his permission and I'm reposting some of his pictures of his collection below. Included in the gallery is a local newspaper article in German that states Heino was or is still a World Record Holder for Fossil collectibles with over 1000 pieces in his collection! A translated version is below the images.
Highlights of the gallery for me include catalog pages of merchandise you could order from Fossil. Including a glass display gas pump! The organization of his collection is amazing and has given a few of us collectors some display ideas. More pictures are forthcoming as Heino takes more. Enjoy!
“My room is almost a little museum!“
The Guinness-book makes it official: Heino is the world biggest Fossil-Item-Collector
In the year 1995 Heino S. has discovered the brand Fossil for himself and since then he collects everything to the Texas watchmaker.
He's always been a fan of the USA of the 50s, so he came to Fossil. The Texan watch manufacturer specializes exactly to this style and now produces also sunglasses, leather goods, jewelry and clothing. In a glass case in “Dornbirner Messepark” (a shopping-center in Dornbirn, Austria) for the first time he has seen Decoration Materials of Fossil: "That appealed to me immediately." And already the passion was aroused. "By the time a lot has accumulated," admits the 26 -year-old. But by contact with Fossil Europe he realized that but still some missing him and he went specifically to look for the small and large decorative jewels. Most of his collectibles he could wheedle various shopkeepers with more or less effort. His favorite piece, a glass case, a U.S. gas pump modeled, he was able to save from Salzburg before disposal.
About 1000 pieces
Currently contains its recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records collection more than 1000 pieces: “My room is almost a small museum" Fortunately, the company Fossil produces more and more, so there is for Heino always news to collect. So he tries via the Internet to get to the popular parts. But the fossil collectors are sown rather rare. Anyone who wants to report to exchange purposes or for interest in please contact: fredq(@)gmx.at