Fossil Heritage ME3224 Hands-On Discussion
Right off the bat what I like about my new Fossil Heritage watch is the premium feel of it. The weight and the materials you can tell are meant to be set apart.
Let’s talk about the Fossil Heritage Series. I’ve been waiting to obtain one for a while now, see my thoughts from October 2022 and obviously part of owning always comes a discussion. I could have done what other watch bloggers do when unique Fossil pieces come to market by posting some marketing photos and repeat the specs. While that’s fine and part of the industry, I know that others like me enjoy the hands-on review with amateur photos and any type of story or history from a collector point of view. Case in point - not one Fossil Heritage review mentioned the short-lived Swiss line. Before we dive in, let me preface that this post is regarding the Heritage watches and no other items in the current Heritage line which includes handbags & jewelry.
Fossil Swiss we should start here and for a background see a post from way back in April 2015 for more insight into the Swiss line and also some thoughts about the why. The short of it was that Fossil Swiss was a premium line of Fossil watches from 2013-15 that were very expensive and now have become a collector’s piece. I know of several collectors past and present in our Facebook community that chase after these and post some of the most creative pictures with their Swiss. The automatic pieces featured a Fossil owned STP movement, same brand of movements found in other Fossil owned brands including Zodiac. Pictured below are actual pieces in my collection. Good design is timeless and these Fossil Swiss pieces are in constant rotation, especially the FSW7000 chronograph. The quartz line of Swiss pieces including my chronograph featured a Ronda movement. Note the Swiss line of chronographs is 45mm vs. the Heritage non-chronograph at 43mm.
As mentioned, the Fossil Heritage series when launched made no mention of Swiss. A few of the comments on Instagram from fans (including me!) mentioned Swiss and eventually on a Fossil Live event a designer said these pieces were based on the Swiss series. I don’t think you’ll need verbal confirmation that these 2 lines are related. Pictured below side by side is the new Heritage ME3224 and my old (now sold) Swiss FSW4003 - both are 43mm.
Right off the bat what I like about my new Fossil Heritage watch is the premium feel of it. The weight and the materials you can tell are meant to be set apart. Most notably for me is the sapphire crystal – quite a difference in weight and clarity from a lot of others in my collection. The concept of premium something Fossil is chasing and promoting with their traditional watch lines and it makes 100% sense that the first order of business in this premium go to market is reviving the Swiss line with a lower cost movement. All the premium looks without the higher priced movement. Swiss retail prices were $695-$895 USD and Fossil Heritage retail prices are currently hugging around $280-$295 USD, which is high, but much easier to deal to explain to my wife now vs. my Swiss purchase in 2014! Speaking of wives there is a women’s line of Heritage watches at 38mm and some are on sale. Wink, Wink, Nudge, Nudge!
Take a look! https://www.fossil.com/en-gb/featured/the-edit/fossil-heritage/
The original Swiss line wasn’t very colorful and featured a lot of rose gold pieces (did you catch my old FSW4003 comment above)? The green dial on this Fossil Heritage automatic was the first piece I saw when launched and it immediately spoke to me. The dial is gorgeous, it’s not as bright as pictured on the website, but green is my color lately and this goes well with anything.
Heritage ME3224
Action photo in front of a very old Fossil poster.
The movement for those of you who are curious is Miyota 8N24. Interesting in this new premium line are no quartz movements and that’s just fine – these non-chrono pieces have the premium, simple and elegant look that seem to be a universal love for most. Some automatic pieces you’ll actually feel the rotor spinning on the watch, but that’s not the case with the Heritage.
With all these positives I do want to list out one negative – the bracelet. This is really a negative on the trend of the bracelet deployant in premium watches lately and not the watch or the look of the oyster bracelet with the watch. The bracelet deployant or what most call a butterfly clasp on most premium bracelets these days is painful!
I find with all bracelets like this (even non-Fossil) that the butterfly clasp is uncomfortable because it does add quite a bit of bulk under the wrist and by the end of the day the skin pinch and embedding of the clasp in my wrist is enough for me to remove the watch sooner than I normally do. The butterfly clasp doesn’t allow for any adjustments outside of removing links and sadly like most things in my life I’m in-between sizes.
Earlier I mentioned I wear the Swiss FSW7000 all the time and I don’t experience this pain as much as I did with the Heritage. I measured the bracelets and found that while I did remove 4 links from the FSW7000, there is a very small link next to the butterfly clasp that the Heritage doesn’t have. A very small difference that makes all the difference in the world for my comfort and maybe a few others. See the pictures below.
All in all, I like where Fossil is going with this line and look forward to grabbing a few more colorways in the future. Most notably the deep blue ME 3244 dial is calling my name. For now I welcome the green ME3224 into the family.
New Solar Defenders for 2023
Picture a dreary work trip in Europe, it’s rainy and cold and you are tired, jet-lagged and longing for comforts of home. Your phone goes off and it’s your friend Adam alerting you that new Defenders are now appearing on Amazon & Zappos. Wiping the rain off of your phone and in 100% bewilderment there they are - 3 new Defenders! A deeper dive into Google and 3 more new Defenders are discovered for a grand total of 6. Could there be more?
Picture a dreary work trip in Europe, it’s rainy and cold and you are tired, jet-lagged and longing for comforts of home. Your phone goes off and it’s your friend Adam alerting you that new Defenders are now appearing on Amazon & Zappos. Wiping the rain off of your phone and in 100% bewilderment there they are - 3 new Defenders! Why didn’t I know about these — where is the heads up? A deeper dive into Google and 3 more new Defenders are discovered for a grand total of 6. Could there be more? Happy 2023, let’s dig in!
Not much is known at this point about these Defenders. No Defender specific model numbers, no special marketing or packaging and nothing is appearing on Fossil.com in the US yet (they are appearing on Germany’s site as of 2/9/23). The movements are all solar and the descriptions are very earth friendly and one can only assume it’s a step towards Fossil’s advertised sustainability efforts to being good for the planet.
As a fan of the now defunct One Eleven Watches, I’m excited to see the solar movements and earth friendly materials promoted in our favorite line of Fossil watches.
The 6 new pieces are model numbers FS5973, FS5974, FS5975, FS5976, FS5977 and FS5978 and are pictured below is corresponding order.
For now we’ll keep the Defender Guide updated with the latest.
Update as of February 15, 2023! The new Defenders are now live across Fossil’s various country sites. Find the links below for each colorway here in the US. Important to note the case size is 40mm unless otherwise noted. We look forward to reviewing soon in person, in the meantime happy shopping.
FS5973 - Defender Solar-Powered Stainless Steel Watch
FS5974 - Defender Solar-Powered Medium Brown Eco Leather Watch
FS5975 - Defender Solar-Powered Luggage Eco Leather Watch
FS5976 - Defender Solar-Powered Stainless Steel Watch 46mm
Fossil Limited Editions You May Have Missed – The Compass Set LE1012
Next up in our series of limited editions you may have missed is the Fossil Compass Watch Collection set LE1012 from 2013. Obviously we’re jumping ahead a little bit in the numbers, but have no fear we’ll eventually cover other limited editions between LE1006 and LE1012 – the span in those 6 pieces is….
Next up in our series of limited editions you may have missed is the Fossil Compass Watch Collection LE1012 from 2013. Obviously we’re jumping ahead a little bit in the numbers, but have no fear we’ll eventually cover other limited editions between LE1006 and LE1012 – the span in those 6 pieces is 3 years! Now in 2013 the canvas boxes are gone and this set comes in a very nice wax canvas portfolio.
First off let’s identify the elephant in the room – there is no compass in the compass set. Why Fossil consistently uses the compass name in some pieces that don’t feature a compass is a lingering question. The compass name goes back to 1989, but those watches did feature a compass on the strap. There was once even a Fossil Compass watch that was only a compass and no watch!
Let’s quickly dive into this set. The watch itself is very sharp with almost a classic Defender look but with the orange on the dial – it really stands out – might be a little too small for some however at 38mm. Original cost was $295 and was limited to 754 pieces. The LE1012 sold out very quick in 2013 because yours truly tried to buy one new online and couldn’t get one ordered – my local store (when they existed) did not get one of these pieces in their inventory. It wasn’t until years later when a fellow collector sold me his. Even today if you do research on this watch you’ll find some collector chatter on how sharp this piece was and how surprised they were to see something like this from Fossil. A few other limited editions of this vintage along with the short lived Fossil Swiss line certainly made some news.
The LE1012 set included 3 different 18mm straps that interchanged very quickly depending on how you felt. The nylon strap in black & orange has always been my go to and good luck ever finding another one – it’s unique to this piece and not available separately. A five-link bracelet and black leather strap also came included. The black leather strap was one of the first in the Fossil fleet to offer the horizontal stitch marks in another color – a trend we still see today.
The underdog in this set is the folio. It’s wax canvas with some leather trim and very durable. One of the details overlooked is the leather zipper tag that matches the leather strap. If this was a little larger it’d be perfect for a tablet and/or other work materials that I carry around. On occasion when traveling with watches I have used this folio and it’s durability to transport precious cargo across state lines.
The entire kit when new came in a cloth bag and found in a Fossil gift box as common to that era. Enjoy the photos from the 2 sets in our collection.
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
1997 Fossil Times: European Special Supplement "THE EUROPEAN SPECIAL"
We are delighted to continue our journey in a series we’re calling The European Special introduced in May 2021. Unlike the first issue, the second issue is quite lengthy and for all the number nerds out there, the second issue is mainly a supplement to Volume 4 Issue 1 in 1997 although….
We are delighted to continue our journey in a series we’re calling The European Special introduced in May 2021. Unlike the first issue, the second issue is quite lengthy and for all the number nerds out there, the second issue is mainly a supplement to Volume 4 Issue 1 in 1997 although this newsletter has quite the mix of content from late 1996.
Now let’s get onto some witty commentary on a few topics that stuck out.
Right away on the first page you see the fan favorite the Defender from the DE line. What is interesting is that the 2 automatic versions featured here (DE-1526 and DE-1527) were never mentioned in the US versions of the newsletters AND both watches that reside in my collection were sourced from eBay in Germany….hmm.
A Fossil watch exchange for club members? Ah the 90’s when you could get away with that without signing terms & conditions and recipients wouldn’t scam others. We’ve said it before, but this would be amazing today, but legal departments disagree!
The Collector’s Convention has been covered before, but this time we have photo evidence of Joachim winning that sweet jacket. Where are you Joachim? Anybody out there still have the Collector’s Convention t-shirt in a tin? In all the years collecting Fossil merch, we’ve only ever seen one shirt hit eBay and for $50 it was a great item to take a picture of and move on!
A Fossil congratulations on your birthday? Sign me up – June 26
Similar to a US newsletter this version has some numbers of members, which is GOLD. 1000 members in Germany, 150 in Italy and other members from Norway, Spain, France, Czechoslovakia and 7 more countries not listed. Later in the newsletter we even get the name of the 1000th member in Germany, Utz Bartsch from Berlin. Utz is now 64 years old and I wonder if he still has those 120 watches? Utz where are you?
A rarity from Fossil is such a nice limited-edition list. For long time fans you’ll remember that way back in 2012 we created the ultimate list with the help of an ex-Fossil employee and we’re happy to report our list is still the ultimate and accurate list.
Explore the limited edition checklist here:
http://www.undergroundfossilcollectors.club/blog/2010/4/26/fossil-limited-edition-check-list.html
Way back in 1996 Volume 3 Issue 5 we covered almost verbatim the Beatles pieces along with Fossil 2002 featured here. Same article and content has been recycled – see why we said some old 1996 content made its way to early 1997?
Almost done! Let’s discuss the Oldham pieces. Not much is known on these pieces and that includes the production numbers. The pieces seen over the years don’t have any 1 of 5000 listed on the back of the case, but maybe on the packaging there was some indication of limited numbers. These pieces are rare, but as always rare doesn’t mean valuable and recent sales indicate these didn’t hold up. Fossil collectors enjoy seeing the Fossil logo on things and these pieces were seen as promotional items similar to “Fossil” watches for Universal Studios, Disney, etc.
Last but not least is Heino! He’s made the newsletter and you can guarantee that the towel and sandals pictured here with him, he still has along with the watch he won! Congratulations again!
Hands on Review - THE BATMAN™ X FOSSIL Limited Edition Automatic Set LE1142
Fossil has created yet another Batman collaboration just in time for the latest Batman film out in theatres on March 4, 2022 and this time….
In preparation for a new collaboration with Batman to coincide with Batman Day on September 26, 2021 we featured an article showcasing some background on the 1989 collaboration, a first for Fossil. The 2021 collaboration came and went rather quickly and not for reasons we’ll discuss today. Fossil has created yet another Batman collaboration just in time for the latest Batman film out in theatres on March 4, 2022 and this time they nailed it.
Please note at the time of this posting I have yet to see the new film, so this review won’t be witty commentary on an almost 3 hour movie, but instead Fossil Fans & Batman fans alike we’ll take a deep dive on this new limited-edition Batman watch from Fossil.
Fossil has just released an entirely new Batman collection and while I struggled for a hot second on which watch to purchase I went with the limited-edition automatic LE1142 Batman watch. There is also a Riddler watch available with a mismatched strap that would drive my Type A/OCD personality crazy! Oddly enough my 15-year-old son wants the Riddler watch vs. his fruit-based smartwatch – so there is hope we can convert him to the traditional watch route!
We need to start with the packaging. In all the years of receiving Fossil watches delivered at home I’ve never seen a Fragile: Handle with Care label! I knew this watch and the unboxing was going to be different and I’m happy to report no damage to the watch and it didn’t arrive in a dented tin like some of the previous limited-editions I’ve purchased recently. Spoiler alert there is no tin with this set.
Once you’ve unpackaged the shipping box, you are presented with a very beautiful black DC and Fossil themed heavy-duty box. Unlike other Fossil limited-editions that come in a box, this box is HUGE. Measures about 7” high and 6 11/16” wide and comes in weighing a total of just over 2 pounds (with watch included). The logos and red font on the box let you know this is a collectible and it even states “designed by collectors, for collectors”.
Take the lid off the box and you are presented with a stunning presentation. The thought, care and obvious collector input in how this is presented is ever present from every angle. The hearty base is something I am going to want on all my collectible watches from now on and as an added bonus doubles as a storage bin for 2 extra straps. The utility theme of the base is appreciated and knowing Fossil there are cues to this in the movie with Batman’s suit and kit, which I’m excited to see. The extra straps remind me of some older Fossil sets including the James Bond set from 1998 (pictured below), those straps had a canvas option with special stitching along with the compass too!
Previous Batman/Fossil collaborations garner feedback that the watches looked childish or comic book like and I agree! The latest collaboration however is not childish and IMO looks like something Batman would wear himself – he likes his logo on his kit, so why wouldn’t he wear a 43mm watch with his logo on it? The watch is dark, the logo is subtle and oh that font! Love that font and oh btw look at the lume, it is green! I for one am looking forward to wearing this watch in the theatre and seeing Batman light up on my wrist in green.
The watch is a limited-edition with only 3368 pieces made. It is a weird number and a high compared to most other recent Fossil limited editions. The fact that this is a Batman themed limited-edition that doesn’t look like a cartoon with an automatic movement is reason enough to make the purchase.
The Batman X Fossil Collab LE1142 with all 3 included INTERchangeable straps
True fans know that we rarely talk about the movements in Fossil watches. For the average Fossil collector or even Batman collector most aren’t concerned with the watch movement. I was surprised to learn that the automatic Japanese movement is a Seiko NH35A. What that’s mean for you, yes you…..the eventual purchaser who just zoned out? It means you get a very accurate, common movement that doesn’t require batteries – this is a good thing and means it’s easy to get repaired if/when it requires service. Fossil has or had their own in-house automatic movements and I wonder why this decision was made, but I’m not mad about it.
The beautiful part of the movement is people will never know. The back of the case showcases the movement with the Batman logo. I love how the Batman logo stays put 100% of the time right side up vs. some other pieces I have where the movement itself would have the logo on the rotor that spins.
Lastly in closing if you’re on the fence about a $300 Fossil watch, I get it - it’s a lot of money for a Fossil watch. It’s worth it. After seeing some feedback on social media and articles from proper watch review sites stating that movie themed watches are childish, I felt that maybe my decision was a hastily made mistake. All of that changed however when I had the watch in hand and felt the heftiness. Also don’t forget the joy of the unboxing - cannot stress that enough!
As a 40+ year old man I’m happy I made the splurge and I wouldn’t hesitate to wear this piece.
That being said two things I wish this set had:
A women’s version. Lot of Batman fans out there and a 43mm watch is huge for some fan girls out there.
The display base needs a glass or at least a clear lid. The finish of the base and the watch will attract dust and fingerprints. I’ll be building or finding a clear cover to place over the watch to keep it clean and brilliant.
Check out the LE1142 on Fossil.com now
If the Riddler is more your speed - check out LE1141 on Fossil.com
Fossil: A Great Christmas Present
Christmas in the 90’s Fossil style. Enjoy this 4 page German flyer with all types of Fossil goodness from 1997.
Christmas in the 90’s Fossil style. Enjoy this 4 page German flyer with all types of Fossil goodness from 1997.
Fun Fact - Fossil Steel turned into Arkitekt shortly after 1997. A lot of the early Fossil Arkitekt are rebadged Fossil Steel.
Fossil Notebooks and New Gallery Coming Soon
Somewhere in-between watches and in store displays lies an oddball category of Fossil branded merchandise. Over the years we’ve highlighted and seen everything from popcorn buckets to coffee cups and even school pencils. What goes good with pencils? Notebooks!
Somewhere in-between watches and in store displays lies an oddball category of Fossil branded merchandise. Over the years we’ve highlighted and seen everything from popcorn buckets to coffee cups and even school pencils. What goes good with pencils? Notebooks!
Below are examples of the many notebooks or journals obtained over the years. A few are a certain vintage from 1992 and others were bought from Fossil.com during a pandemic. Enjoy the below pictures and descriptions of what we’re sure is not a complete collection by any means.
Also starting soon will be a new gallery titled Fossil Merchandise and in this gallery we’ll start with the notebooks. With 35+ years of Fossil goodness available this gallery is going to get HUGE. Link coming soon!!!!! Tell your friend(s).
Let’s start with the oldest notebooks in the collection. In total there were 5 available based on the August 1992 catalog. They were also a $1 a piece. I have 4 of them currently and they measure 10.5x8 inches.
Coming up next in no particular order is a Nordstrom/Fossil notebook. I’ve got a few of these and when they come up online I get them — it’s very similar to Mel Gibson purchasing every copy of Catcher in the Rye from the movie Conspiracy Theory. This notebook has a nice hardcover with a very late 90’s logo from Fossil. Measures 8.75 x 6 inches.
Along the same lines as the Nordstrom/Fossil notebook are some that came from the Fossil Company store most likely starting in 1993 with an actual item number of PP-1118. Two variations are pictured here — could there be more? These measure 9.25 x 6.25 inches.
One more hardcover notebook to share and this one is a gold mine of the good old Fossil advertising. No date, no model number and no indication if others exist in a similar look. If you’re down to your last notebook I would rather write on my forehead versus using this one! Measures 8.75 x 5.75 inches.
We’ve covered old & vintage notebooks and spent some time with the hardcovers above. Now here are some typical notebooks that one would use in school. The first batch below are from 2001 based on the I Feel Good tagline. These notebooks are the standard size of 11 x 8.5 inches. One of the notebooks is item #OS8828
Longest post ever……but we’ve got more. The next is a real oddball — it’s a notebook inside a fake book that says Travel Guide from Fossil. Included in the fake book is a very nice postcard set, a Fossil pen, a pack of Fossil playing cards and yes you guessed it! A notebook.
2 more to go. This was a set of 3 Fossil notebooks with graphing/grid paper. Included is a UPC/item number for you collectors - good luck!
Congratulations you’ve made it. If you're reading this, you've gotten out. And if you've read this far, maybe you're willing to read a little further………name that movie quote with some liberties taken.
We have one more notebook set to highlight and then this very long post is complete. Either right before or during the pandemic (remember that?) this set of 3 lined notebooks appeared on Fossil.com for $10. The quality certainly isn’t there like the older notebooks covered, but nonetheless there is a Fossil logo on them
The First Collaboration - Fossil & Batman Watches
Imagine my surprise and delight when an email from Fossil pops up saying their newest collaboration is celebrating Batman Day on September 26. Let’s roll some footage from the very first Batman/Fossil collaboration in 1989 and possibly the first collaboration ever based on the catalogs here in the office.
National Batman Day. Did you know this was a thing because I did not? Outside of Talk Like A Pirate Day on September 19 – my knowledge of national days goes awry. Imagine my surprise and delight when an email from Fossil pops up saying their newest collaboration is celebrating Batman Day on September 26. I have no inside information on what this collaboration is going to look like, but let’s roll some footage from the very first Batman/Fossil collaboration in 1989 and possibly the first collaboration ever based on the catalogs here in the office.
Important to note there are many, many of these superhero watches out there and I certainly don’t know them all. Some Batman/Fossil and Superman/Fossil watches were exclusive to Warner Brothers Studios stores & theme parks and never placed for sale on Fossil.com or in any catalogs printed over the years. I could write a Buzzfeed listicle on the number of pieces I’ve been emailed about asking questions on the number of pieces actually made – certainly a very long list for another day! Meantime please enjoy some 1989 goodness from one of my favorite catalogs and accompanying price guide. $22 for Batman/Fossil watches in 1989 — those were the days!!!!!
The pictures above came from the 1989 Fall Catalog and accompanying Price Guide (2 separate books). The catalog is a beautiful 32 page full color 12”x9”.
Southwest Airlines Limited Edition Retro Pilot Chronograph Watch
Collaborations have been done in the past with Fossil and we’ve covered our fair share of them. The latest collaboration is one that pushes all the right buttons for our household: Southwest Airlines, Retro-Pilot Series, Aviation theme, Limited Edition and of course a Fossil product!
Southwest Airlines and Fossil Watches what do they have in common?
Spoiler Alert: Dallas!
Collaborations have been done in the past with Fossil and we’ve covered our fair share of them. The latest collaboration is one that pushes all the right buttons for our household: Southwest Airlines, Retro-Pilot Series, Aviation theme, Limited Edition and of course a Fossil product!
Before we dive into the product, wanted to give a shout out for our love of Southwest Airlines. Mrs. Underground Fossil Collectors Club and I have been loyal Southwest frequent fliers since we started dating in 1999 and did the long-distance thing while in college. $69 roundtrip flights to St. Louis from Cleveland was a line item on the old budget back then. Nowadays this family of 4 enjoys flying Southwest and the 2 free checked bags is a nice bonus when coming back from the land of Disney and a recent hiking trip in Utah – thanks Southwest!
In 2021 Southwest is officially 50 years old and once the Instagram post of this collaboration was hinted at way back in June – we knew we had to show our love and make the purchase. The following post is only going to cover the LE1132 men’s version because the LE1138 was sold out before we could purchase one to review. Sorry ladies!!!
The timeless design of chronograph watches with the three sub-dials pushed to the left side of the face is one of the first designs that hooked us. Add to that the skyward pointing 12-hour marker on an aviation themed chronograph and you have now just embarked on a lifelong collecting journey. So many to choose from including Defenders, Retro-Pilots, Speedways and more. However, this Southwest/Fossil collaboration is limited to only 1971 pieces in honor of the year Southwest was founded.
First thing you’ll notice most likely with this watch besides it already being sold out is the color blue. There is a lot of blue here and it’s on brand with Southwest. The 44mm case houses an all blue face and its gorgeous. The leather strap is blue too and something very unique is the straps are all made with repurposed airline seats – we should add here cleaned & repurposed airline seats. Southwest fans will notice the blue, yellow and red hints throughout the face include the dials and secondhand. Look at the at crown while you’re at it
Something we don’t normally cover or care about is the back of the case. Southwest’s logo/insignia is proudly featured on the back of the case in enamel – LUV it
Packaging is up next and as expected it is amazing. The tin, the paperwork, the little details that you let know this is a collectible piece and tied to something special is one thing Fossil always does right and the LE1132 is no exception. I do wish better care was given when these collectible pieces ship off to customers – my tin came dented and the paper card inside is a bit pushed in and almost chewed up in the corners. Similar feedback was left on Fossil’s site – collectors are a particular crew and we notice everything!
Being sold out already is a sad reality for this piece. Some of the 1971 pieces are already selling (not listed for) on eBay for over $500USD. The good news here for Fossil fans is that this piece is related to the newly re-leased Retro-Pilot series on Fossil.com. Sure the Southwest branding isn’t there and the faces are a little different, but the case and the size (and the aviation theme) are all intact. Recently a Hybrid version appeared on Fossil.com, it truly is a great time to be alive.
Fossil Southwest Collaboration Link (SOLD OUT)
https://www.fossil.com/en-us/products/southwest-airlines-limited-edition-retro-pilot-chronograph-blue-leather-watch/LE1132.html
Retro-Pilot Series
https://www.fossil.com/en-us/products/retro-pilot-chronograph-brown-leather-watch/FS5832.html