210
18 days ago
That One Fossil Watch Everyone Wanted in Middle School Is Finally Back
Summary
Don’t pretend you don’t still want one.
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In the late 1990s, my first brush with product enthusiasm was all about sneakers.
I was, and still am, a huge NBA fan (go Knicks), and I spent my middle school years obsessing over the latest Nikes and Reeboks worn by the likes of Allen Iverson, Jason Kidd, Penny Hardaway and others.
The best place to learn about these kicks was in the pages of the now-defunct Eastbay catalog. In the days before widespread internet shopping and social media, Eastbay was a Godsend to a kid like me growing up deep in the woods of rural Maine. The catalog showed me what the cool kids in exotic places like California and New York were wearing, and offered me a chance to cop those styles for myself.
Through Eastbay, I also became more aware of accessories outside of sneakers that I quickly coveted, namely Oakley sunglasses and Fossil watches. Hey, it was a different time.
There’s only one specific Fossil watch I remember from that era, as it represented the epitome of cool wristwear to a young teen around the turn of the millennium. It hit the scene when I was in eighth grade, and I vividly remember my cousin and I — he lived down the road and was one year my senior — both obsessing over it when it first appeared in the pages of our respective Eastbay catalogs.
The watch was called the Big Tic, and it was what I would now refer to as an analog-digital watch — but it was a far cry from the usual ana-digit format.
The watch had analog hour and minute hands, but the dial was a digital display with giant digital numbers scrolling in the background as the running seconds. Some versions even featured animated flames in place of the numbers. To my cousin and me, this was the pinnacle of wearable technology at the time.
Now, Fossil has brought back the Big Tic with a new line that’s full of those turn-of-the-millennium vibes.
According to Fossil, the Big Tic is the brand’s most sought-after archival style among collectors, so it’s nice to know my cousin and I weren’t the only ones who were all about this watch back in the day.
The new Big Tic, dubbed the Y2K Big Tic in a nod to the original’s 1999 debut, is nearly the same in appearance as the original. All variations of the watch feature a round 40mm stainless steel case with a circular brushed bezel and domed mineral glass crystal. Four of the five new references are paired with a very ’90s-looking integrated steel bracelet, while the fourth gets regular lugs and is mounted on a brown leather bund strap.
The bund strap version and one of the steel bracelet models both have the classic scrolling giants background, while the other two bracelet watches are remakes of the flame version: one with blue flames on a light dial, the other orange flames on a black dial. Each has printed flames that appear on the bezel in addition to the dial’s animated flames, naturally.
The orange flame version is also available as a pocket watch, but the less said about that, the better.
In general, the Big Tic Flames are a bit too Bam Bam Bigelow/Guy Fieri for me. Not even the pangs of nostalgia can make me want one of these abominations, but I’m sure some kids will think they’re cool.
The bund strap isn’t my jam either. I don’t even like bund straps on 1930s pilot’s watches, so there’s no way I’m going to be into a digital watch on a bund. That leaves the plain-digit bracelet model, and I’m happy to say that this one still rocks. 14-year-old me would be happy to hear it.
All of the watches have a decent 50m of water resistance, and they all feature a pusher at 2:00 that cycles through seven different animations for the seconds counter. The displays also appear to be sharper than on the original models, and all watches come in a special metal box with fun, cartoonish Big Tic branding.
Fossil has been having a rough time of late. The brand filed for bankruptcy last October and is undergoing restructuring, which seems to include quietly killing off its subsidiary, Zodiac. The brand could certainly use a win.
While I think most of these new references are limited in their appeal, bringing back the Big Tic was the right move. It’s arguably the coolest watch from Fossil’s back catalog, and if the brand can continually raid its archives to bring back other nostalgic favorites, then maybe — just maybe — Fossil can mount a renaissance akin to what Timex has managed to do over the past decade.
As a Fossil, the Y2K Big Tic remains extremely affordable, coming in below the $200 mark for all references. The pocket watch is priced at $170, while all four wristwatches list for $195. All are limited editions, with runs ranging from 429 pieces for the pocket watch to 2,032 for the full steel standard-digit version.
Johnny Brayson is an editor at Gear Patrol mostly covering watches. He enjoys watches that are packed with blink-and-you’ll-miss-’em details and believes nearly every watch could stand to be a tad smaller.
Want to stay up to date on the latest product news and releases? Add Gear Patrol as a preferred source to ensure our independent journalism makes it to the top of your Google search results.
Founded in 2007, Gear Patrol is the definitive buying guide for enthusiasts. Our independent experts test the best in cars, tech, home, outdoors, style and watches. We combine hands-on testing, decades of experience and original photography to craft reports, reviews and guides. Why? Because we believe everyone deserves the best product.
Work with our award-winning creative services studio and advertising agency to bring your brand or product story to life. Learn more.
© 2026 GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services | For Life's Pursuits™
If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more
In the late 1990s, my first brush with product enthusiasm was all about sneakers.
I was, and still am, a huge NBA fan (go Knicks), and I spent my middle school years obsessing over the latest Nikes and Reeboks worn by the likes of Allen Iverson, Jason Kidd, Penny Hardaway and others.
The best place to learn about these kicks was in the pages of the now-defunct Eastbay catalog. In the days before widespread internet shopping and social media, Eastbay was a Godsend to a kid like me growing up deep in the woods of rural Maine. The catalog showed me what the cool kids in exotic places like California and New York were wearing, and offered me a chance to cop those styles for myself.
Through Eastbay, I also became more aware of accessories outside of sneakers that I quickly coveted, namely Oakley sunglasses and Fossil watches. Hey, it was a different time.
There’s only one specific Fossil watch I remember from that era, as it represented the epitome of cool wristwear to a young teen around the turn of the millennium. It hit the scene when I was in eighth grade, and I vividly remember my cousin and I — he lived down the road and was one year my senior — both obsessing over it when it first appeared in the pages of our respective Eastbay catalogs.
The watch was called the Big Tic, and it was what I would now refer to as an analog-digital watch — but it was a far cry from the usual ana-digit format.
The watch had analog hour and minute hands, but the dial was a digital display with giant digital numbers scrolling in the background as the running seconds. Some versions even featured animated flames in place of the numbers. To my cousin and me, this was the pinnacle of wearable technology at the time.
Now, Fossil has brought back the Big Tic with a new line that’s full of those turn-of-the-millennium vibes.
According to Fossil, the Big Tic is the brand’s most sought-after archival style among collectors, so it’s nice to know my cousin and I weren’t the only ones who were all about this watch back in the day.
The new Big Tic, dubbed the Y2K Big Tic in a nod to the original’s 1999 debut, is nearly the same in appearance as the original. All variations of the watch feature a round 40mm stainless steel case with a circular brushed bezel and domed mineral glass crystal. Four of the five new references are paired with a very ’90s-looking integrated steel bracelet, while the fourth gets regular lugs and is mounted on a brown leather bund strap.
The bund strap version and one of the steel bracelet models both have the classic scrolling giants background, while the other two bracelet watches are remakes of the flame version: one with blue flames on a light dial, the other orange flames on a black dial. Each has printed flames that appear on the bezel in addition to the dial’s animated flames, naturally.
The orange flame version is also available as a pocket watch, but the less said about that, the better.
In general, the Big Tic Flames are a bit too Bam Bam Bigelow/Guy Fieri for me. Not even the pangs of nostalgia can make me want one of these abominations, but I’m sure some kids will think they’re cool.
The bund strap isn’t my jam either. I don’t even like bund straps on 1930s pilot’s watches, so there’s no way I’m going to be into a digital watch on a bund. That leaves the plain-digit bracelet model, and I’m happy to say that this one still rocks. 14-year-old me would be happy to hear it.
All of the watches have a decent 50m of water resistance, and they all feature a pusher at 2:00 that cycles through seven different animations for the seconds counter. The displays also appear to be sharper than on the original models, and all watches come in a special metal box with fun, cartoonish Big Tic branding.
Fossil has been having a rough time of late. The brand filed for bankruptcy last October and is undergoing restructuring, which seems to include quietly killing off its subsidiary, Zodiac. The brand could certainly use a win.
While I think most of these new references are limited in their appeal, bringing back the Big Tic was the right move. It’s arguably the coolest watch from Fossil’s back catalog, and if the brand can continually raid its archives to bring back other nostalgic favorites, then maybe — just maybe — Fossil can mount a renaissance akin to what Timex has managed to do over the past decade.
As a Fossil, the Y2K Big Tic remains extremely affordable, coming in below the $200 mark for all references. The pocket watch is priced at $170, while all four wristwatches list for $195. All are limited editions, with runs ranging from 429 pieces for the pocket watch to 2,032 for the full steel standard-digit version.
Johnny Brayson is an editor at Gear Patrol mostly covering watches. He enjoys watches that are packed with blink-and-you’ll-miss-’em details and believes nearly every watch could stand to be a tad smaller.
Want to stay up to date on the latest product news and releases? Add Gear Patrol as a preferred source to ensure our independent journalism makes it to the top of your Google search results.
Founded in 2007, Gear Patrol is the definitive buying guide for enthusiasts. Our independent experts test the best in cars, tech, home, outdoors, style and watches. We combine hands-on testing, decades of experience and original photography to craft reports, reviews and guides. Why? Because we believe everyone deserves the best product.
Work with our award-winning creative services studio and advertising agency to bring your brand or product story to life. Learn more.
© 2026 GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services | For Life's Pursuits™
AI Description
Fossil has reintroduced the Big Tic, a popular analog-digital watch from 1999, as a limited collection. This nostalgic product appeals to those who remember its original release during their middle school years.