Cheapest it has been according to 3xcamels. RRP$299. Case diameter 44mm. Band width 22mm. Stainless steel case and leather band.
CamelCamelCamel.
Thanks OP!
Just waiting for Watchnerd to show up saying its a a fashion brand, they posting about Seiko & Citizen.
Fossil is a fashion brand but I also say you should buy what you like so I'm not going to trash on the Op's post for finding a SS case chrono watch for under $100.
While you're not going to find a Seiko or Citizen chrono around this price the other option is to wait for the Aliexpress sales to start tomorrow @5pm.
Any recommendations on a cheap tactical/dive style watch? Casio seems the go to but the ones I like all have the US date format which I'm not a fan of.
These 2 Citizen autos are dive style or you could wait for the Aliexpress sale & get a Steeldive SD1970.
I prefer my auto's with no date these days (quick to set the time), and fit in with the military/vintage divers anyway.
These look pretty good Tactical Frog FXD Titanium
but yeah another =1 for the SD1970.
@G-rig: Casio duro is really good, just need to change the crappy strap it comes with.
A Samsung Watch 4 band (20mm) makes it extremely pleasant to wear, though I'm sure there are cheaper alternatives on AliExpress/others
Believe it or not, the fake Seagull 1963 copy of the Sea-Gull 1963 for $41 tuned out to have a SS case and screw back, a claimed Sunon PE60 (though I didn't pry off the metal clock face to see if a date wheel was whirling pointlessly/portlessly below.) a functioning sweeping stop-watch hand, a 24 hour sub-dial and a "seconds" sub-dial that only functions as a minute counter in stop-watch ( I think "chrono" would be pushing it).
Admittedly the sweep hand fell off when I dropped it 2 meters onto tiles, and the 24 hour indicator when pulling the movement, but I had hours of amusement chasing down first the red sweep hand, and then the tiny 24 hour hand on the carpet whenever my micro-touch failed.
I was just glad that they were (a) not riveted on and (b) substantial enough to be dabbed with a damp tooth-pick and manoeuvred by fine tweezers.
I was a little disappointed when it first came, thinking it was what was sold as the mechanical copy as the box had a useable green Nato and a brown stitched polyurethane band offered possibly to balance the box inflight, as the weight and finish were way over what I expected from disposable, and was I bit concerned about the feel as I pulled the crown and met little resistance positioning the hands, but was relieved when I hit the top button and what I'd considered the second-hand started its sweep.
The minute counter followed the seconds, and both hands did a graceful clockwise sweep [no snap-back here tyvm] to their default 3' (sweep) and 57' (minute) position after a five minute uncalibrated trial.
Unlike Fullhalter's find, the right sub-dial was a 24 hour working dial, with the original Chinese "ZI ZUAN" (yeah?, Nah!) and the two line ideograms and I did manage to get the stalk I can't see onto the spline that may be there, but that dial has since just moved back to "10" from "12" since I hammered it back in.
I'm more used to a 20 ton press…
It does look and feel the part. I don't think it's be welcome as official equipment at the Bonneville time trials but it's certainly whetted my appetite for the mechanical one. I'm unsure where the 21 jewels are hidden tho…
What a cluster that bargain was. Interesting watch though and pretty clean, just don't look for the cheapest of anything on Aliexpress right..
This baltany looks good if you want a crono, not the same symmetry as the one i got but pretty good:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005544503227.html
@G-rig: I had to bale and find some work before I bought something after heading off to Pagani Design .
https://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/98841/104947/dsc_1827_…
https://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/98841/104948/dsc_1834_…
https://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/98841/104949/dsc_1836_…
After reassembly:
https://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/98841/104952/1963qua.j…
@terrys: Good work. I like the overall design and simplicity, the working movement in the back would be a thing to admire.
Hopefully most poeple get to keep the quartz (which would be fine if fixed up a bit) and a refund hey.
@G-rig: It'd be a toss-up tho - it is honestly described as a "quartz", but "not as in the photo" (24Hr/30" dial, Legend) is one valid claim.
To be honest, it's better than I expected. I'd be feeling more remorse if I'd bought the Fossil, even if Citzen/Seiko haven't fully adopted the 21st century fad for nice silent plastic gears.
@G-rig: It gets better -
The Quartz watch
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004460801000.html
is listed as out for delivery, the mechanical:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005628974774.html
is listed as delivered.
"Purchase Protection is running out, but package is still in transit Invalid The tracking information shows that it delivered to your address. Please track it in the logistics official website or contact shipping company servicer to get more information, also, you could confirm with your family members or neighbors if they signed the package in the name of you. If you did not received, we suggest you to provide official document from post office or the shipping company to prove that you did not received the package."
No worries - game on. The refund application is underway as " not received", the immediate automated response - "Check with the carrier" actioned and the two choices - "Suck it Down or Something else" flagged "something else", and we'll see how this goes.
(Spoiler: AliExpress refund or Paypal do).
Sad really - I was hoping for the mechanical and was quite content with the quarts, but two $10 quartz watches for >$150 is not on. Should the next package contain the mechanical, I'm seriously considering a " not as described" for that one too to teach the seller to design his Chinese walls between their "different" companies a little better…
@terrys: All bs isn't it, dodgy sellers. A lot of effort and time if it goes wrong.
Delivery time is usually pretty good these days (10 days from ordering vs 5-6 weeks back in the day).
Just have to reply on paypal or ali to step in.
Should just walk down to your local Shiels and get something. Starbuy is great - had a citizen SE that had a misaligned bezel. Got a return postage slip to print, sent it back and recived the replacement the next day of them sending it.
@G-rig: Should just walk down to your local Shiels and get something.
I did for a nice Pulsar (Quartz) chrono >$100, ( looking almost exactly like this fossil, only with a full 60 second sweep for the left (minutes) sub dial, a reversal of the size stepping on the chrono buttons, no numerals and no fancy fillagree effect on the winder.).
I'd imagine any genuine Seagull 1963 mechanical equivalents wouldn't see me getting much change out of a grand…
@terrys: Sounds alright, nice trusting those store and brands, shouldn't be this hard. Mind you I've never had issues with SD, Baltany, Pagani.
I'd imagine any genuine Seagull 1963 mechanical equivalents wouldn't see me getting much change out of a grand…
Here you go, link taken from JOMW's youtube desc:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000252492975.html
The (good) unofficial copy:
AU$240 to $250 minus coupons plus taxes:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001304377435.html
Tempted myself if they had a bit better deal on.
It is a fashion brand but i personally like fossil more than all the other department store brands like diesel and DKNY etc. At least fossil mostly makes bags, wallets and watches so the overall quality looks nice, still hard to tell if they are good watches or not but pretty easy too change the battery.
Similar to Seiko and citizen, you'd never pay RRP but at 50% off they are ok. $100 for for the fossil isn't too much to part with but personally I'd look at some of the good micro brands for only a little bit more.
The other colours look better, pretty hard to read the time white on white. I personally don't like Roman numerals either. 44mm/22mm is quite large for a dress watch and I'd stick to 40/20, so you can change around bands easily (very good if you have other watches).
Something like this, I've got the other version but great looking watches, Seiko movement with a beautiful piece of crystal. More vintage/military than dress watches. Retro Black is my pick but the lighter versions looks good too:
https://wap.aliexpress.com/item/1005004825443504.html
You could also check out Pagani, pretty good for $100-150 when there is a sale on and or cashback/coupons etc. I have this one:
https://m.aliexpress.com/i/1005003329726415.html
+1 for Pagani Design
Scored a PD1734 from watchnerd's post here for $50 AUD~ with a sapphire crystal
Get quartz if you don't want to have to set the time every now and then.
Easier to change the battery once every few years than to have to shake/wind an automatic that can time-drift if it hasn't been adjusted with a timegrapher machine
That's a good pickup, cheap! Would suit the OP's taste perhaps.
Tend to agree, I either get no date auto or solar/mecha-quartz these days and have about 6 I can pick up and go now.
Pagani may not be perfect but they are a trustworthy choice that get a lot of things right for the money.
I've got the one I mentioned and a Daytona, they look like more expensive watches, sapphire and decent quality bracelets etc.
They just need to improve the lume on some of them in general.
Back down to $51.57 ATM.
Wife got me this one. It's one of the better looking fossil ones.
OB strikes again… Finished…
Cheers oP
You will look cooler with a nice looking fossil watch than a Japanese budget brand
ie. fashionable
All personal preference and budget at the end of the day. Plenty of styles in both brands.
Can get just as nice looking seikos for cheap I had a SNKL23 for $115 but sold it (older movement and setting day & date sucks).
Which one are you @mlburnian?
Fashion watch brands like Fossil Watches often are seen as a barrier between someone being informed on their watch purchase and someone not being informed. The erroneous implication is that a “true watch collector” would be informed enough to not buy a Fossil.
https://twobrokewatchsnobs.com/fossil-watches-review-and-inf…
I bought this 10 years ago for $80. Still alive today.
Glad you're still alive. How long does the battery last?
About 2 years if I am not mistaken.
Do you use Chronograph functionality for anything?
![[Prime] Fossil Men's Neutra Stainless Steel Quartz Chronograph Watch $99.95 Delivered @ Amazon AU](https://files.ozbargain.com.au/n/36/786436.jpg?h=bbc4da13)
That looks pretty nice. I'm looking for a chronograph that would pass for a dress watch, so this is tempting, but I think I'll just wait on a discount on the Timex Fairfield Chrono instead.