Fossil history

Founded in 1984, Fossil represented the second entrepreneurial effort launched by Tom Kartsotis, a Texas A&M dropout living in Dallas.

1985 The Company introduces the first Fossil® brand watches.

In 1986, the Kartsotis brothers launched Fossil watches on the American market.

By 1987, Fossil, Inc., as the company was now called, was collecting $2 million in sales a year after having established a solid reputation among Texas retailers.

Kosta Kartsotis joined the company in 1988, midway through the most prolific period of growth in Fossil's short history.

1989 • Fossil introduces its iconic “tin box” packaging with designs inspired by graphics from the American fifties. • The packaging is a hit with consumers and Fossil begins packaging all of its watches in tin boxes.

1990 Fossil participates in their first Basel World watch and jewelry tradeshow in Basel, Switzerland.

In 1991, Macy's opened a 300-square-foot Fossil Watch "Super Shop" in one of the most ideal locations for a small, but fast-growing company to attract attention.

In order to master the acquisition of finished watches, Fossil took over a company in Hong Kong in 1992 and renamed it Fossil (East). It was responsible for supplying watches to the headquarters in America.

In June 1993, Fossil completed its initial public offering of stock, selling 20 percent of the company to investors, with Tom Kartsotis retaining 40.5 percent control over the company and his brother Kosta retaining 18.8 percent ownership.

In 1994, the company achieved strides in each direction through three noteworthy developments.

In 1995, the extensive line of Fossil fashion watches were sold in department stores and in other upscale retail settings in more than 50 countries, giving the company a broad geographic foundation to support its business.

Toward this end, the company acquired 81 percent of the Seiko-owned Fostim in April 1996, paying $700,000 in cash to gain greater control over the distribution of Fossil products in Japan.