Fossil Grant Automatic Review: a good-looking everyday dress watch with a few quirks

I’ve been wearing the Fossil Men’s Grant Automatic (silver case, brown leather strap, skeleton-style dial) on and off for a few weeks now. I’m not a watch collector, just a guy who likes something decent on the wrist for work, dinners, and the odd event where a smartwatch looks a bit out of place. I picked this one mainly because of the classic Roman numerals, the leather strap, and the fact that it’s automatic and not battery-only.

In day-to-day use, it feels like a watch aimed at someone who wants to look put together without going down the rabbit hole of luxury brands. It looks dressy but not over the top. Nobody will mistake it for a high-end Swiss piece, but it doesn’t look cheap either. It sits in that middle zone: office-friendly, good for dates, fine with a blazer, and still acceptable with jeans and a shirt.

What stood out quickly is that this is more about looks than pure watch-nerd specs. The skeleton dial and Roman numerals are there to catch the eye. The automatic movement is nice to have, but it’s not the most precise thing on earth, and the water resistance is fine for daily life but nothing more. If you’re thinking of it as a fashionable accessory first and a tool second, you’re in the right mindset.

Overall, my first impression is: it’s a pretty solid dress watch for the price, with a few annoyances you should know before buying. If you want a low-maintenance, ultra-precise, do-everything watch, this isn’t it. If you want something that looks good on the wrist and you don’t obsess over every second gained or lost, then it starts to make sense.

On the price side, this watch makes more sense when you catch it on discount. One Amazon reviewer mentioned picking up variants around the $65–$75 range, and at that kind of price, it’s a pretty good deal: you get a stylish automatic watch from a known brand, decent materials, and a design that works for a lot of situations. At full retail (which is often much higher), it’s harder to justify, especially when you compare it to some entry-level watches from brands that focus more on movements and less on fashion.

What you’re really paying for here is the look: Roman numerals, skeleton dial, brown leather strap, and the Fossil name that most people recognize from malls and outlets. If you want hardcore specs, sapphire glass, and a super accurate movement, there are other brands in the same price bracket (especially from Japanese makers) that might give you more technically. But they usually won’t have this exact dressy, skeleton style, so it depends what you care about.

For someone who just wants a good-looking, dressy automatic watch on a budget, this offers decent value, especially if you’re not super picky about perfect finishing or long-term strap durability. It looks more expensive on the wrist than what you might actually pay if you find it on sale, and that’s often what people want from a watch in this category: something that looks the part without wrecking the wallet.

My take: if you can grab it with a solid discount, it’s a good buy. At full list price, I’d think twice and maybe compare it to some Seiko, Orient, or Citizen options. It’s not a bad deal, but it’s not a hidden bargain either unless you get that lower sale price.

The design is clearly aimed at someone who likes a classic dress watch vibe but still wants a bit of visual interest. You’ve got a round silver stainless steel case, a cream dial, raised Roman numerals, and a skeleton window that shows part of the movement. On the wrist, it looks more expensive than it is at first glance, mainly because of the combination of the big face, the Roman numerals, and the exposed mechanism.

That said, the dial is on the busy side. Between the skeleton cut-out, the subdials, and the Roman numerals, there’s a lot going on. After a few days, I got used to it, but if you prefer super clean, minimalist dials, this is probably not for you. Time reading is still okay in normal light, but in low light the contrast isn’t great. The cream background with black accents looks nice, but there’s no real lume to speak of, so don’t expect to read it easily in the dark.

The 45 mm case size gives it a big, bold presence, which some people like and some won’t. On my wrist, it sits flat enough, but you’ll notice it under a tighter shirt cuff. With a suit, it looks the part, but it’s not one of those ultra-thin dress watches that disappear under your sleeve. The bezel is simple and polished, which can pick up fingerprints, but that’s pretty standard at this price.

In terms of style, I’d call it “office and dinner friendly” rather than super formal. It goes well with chinos, a shirt, and a blazer. With a full suit, it still looks good, but the skeleton dial adds a slightly more casual, modern twist. If you want something very discreet, this might be a bit too noticeable. If you want a watch that looks smart without screaming for attention, it hits a decent middle ground, just leaning a bit more towards decorative than functional.

The whole point of this model is that it’s an automatic self-winding watch, so in day-to-day use, you’re not dealing with a regular battery swap. The listing mentions a lithium metal battery, which is confusing, but in practice, you wind it by wearing it. The rotor inside spins as you move, and that keeps the mainspring charged. Fossil claims around a 40-hour power reserve, and that lined up with what I saw: wear it all day, leave it off overnight, and it’s still running fine the next morning. Leave it off for two days, and it’s usually dead.

From a user point of view, this means two things. First, you don’t have to go to a jeweler every couple of years for a battery replacement, which is nice. Second, if you’re not wearing it regularly, you’ll be resetting the time fairly often. I rotate between this and a smartwatch, and every time I pick the Fossil back up after a few days, I have to set it again. It’s not a huge deal, but it’s a bit of a ritual you need to accept with automatics.

There’s no power reserve indicator on the dial, so you kind of learn by feel. If it’s been sitting for a while, I usually give it a few manual winds via the crown and then set the time. After that, wearing it for a normal day keeps it going. If you plan to own multiple automatic watches, a watch winder might make sense, but for a single watch, that’s probably overkill.

So in terms of “battery”, I’d say: low maintenance if you wear it a lot, slightly annoying if you don’t. If you want something you can toss in a drawer for a week and pick up with the exact time still set, this is not that. If you like the idea of a mechanical-style watch that runs off your movement and you don’t mind the occasional reset, it works just fine.

Comfort-wise, the Fossil Grant Automatic is pretty solid once the strap breaks in, but the large case size will be the deciding factor for a lot of people. On my average wrist, the 45 mm case feels noticeable but not painful. If you’re used to smaller 38–40 mm watches, this will feel big at first. The lugs don’t curve too aggressively, so it sits flat enough, but on very slim wrists it might overhang a bit.

The calfskin strap out of the box is slightly stiff, which is normal. After about a week of regular wear, it softened up and started to mold to my wrist better. The buckle is simple and does its job; no digging into the skin or weird sharp edges. The strap has plenty of holes, so getting a decent fit is easy, even if you have a thinner wrist. One Amazon reviewer mentioned the belt (strap) being a bit long, and I agree: there’s a bit more tail than I’d like, but the keepers hold it in place, so it’s more of a visual thing than a comfort issue.

Weight-wise, the watch is light enough that you forget about it after a while. The automatic movement and stainless steel case don’t make it overly heavy, especially compared to some chunky dive watches. I wore it during a full workday at a desk, some walking around town, and even some light chores at home, and it never felt like a burden on the wrist. The only time I really noticed it was under a tight shirt cuff, where the height and size can catch a bit when you bend your wrist.

If you’re very sensitive to big watches or you have a small wrist, I’d say try something in the 40–42 mm range instead. But if you’re okay with a slightly larger face and you give the strap a week or two to soften, the comfort is perfectly acceptable for daily use. Nothing special, but no major red flags either.

On paper, the materials are pretty standard for this price range: stainless steel case, hardened mineral crystal, and a calfskin leather strap. In the hand, the case feels sturdy enough. It doesn’t have that super dense, heavy feel of higher-end watches, but it doesn’t feel hollow or toy-like either. At 2.68 ounces, it’s light enough for daily wear but still has some weight, so it doesn’t feel cheap.

The mineral crystal does its job: after a couple of weeks of normal use (office, commuting, cooking, knocking it lightly on a desk edge once or twice), I didn’t see any major scratches. Keep in mind, though, mineral crystal is not sapphire. If you’re rough on your watches or you work with tools or concrete, this will mark faster than a watch with sapphire glass. For everyday office and casual use, it’s fine; just don’t treat it like a beater watch.

The leather strap is calfskin, and it feels okay out of the box: not super soft, not super stiff. After a week or so, it broke in and became more comfortable. It still doesn’t feel like high-end leather, but for the price, it’s acceptable. The finish is smooth, and the brown color matches the dressy look of the watch. One thing to note: like most basic leather straps, it will show creases and wear fairly quickly, especially if you buckle it in the same hole every day. It’s not falling apart or anything, but don’t expect it to stay pristine forever.

The good news is that the 22 mm strap is interchangeable, so if the leather wears out or you just want a different look, you can swap it for another Fossil strap or any compatible one. Overall, the materials feel in line with the price: not premium, not trashy, just middle-of-the-road. They get the job done for someone who wants a decent-looking watch without paying for high-end finishing.

Durability-wise, the Fossil Grant Automatic sits firmly in the “normal daily life” category. The stainless steel case and hardened mineral crystal hold up fine to office wear, commuting, and light knocks. After a couple of weeks, I didn’t see any major damage, just the usual smudges and fingerprints that wipe off easily. If you’re not smashing it into door frames or dropping it on concrete, it should last a good while.

The water resistance is rated at 50 m / 5 ATM, which in plain terms means it’s okay for hand washing, rain, and maybe a quick shower, but I wouldn’t treat it as a swimming or sports watch. The brand itself says it’s wearable for short recreational swimming and showering but not for diving or snorkeling. Personally, I’d still take it off for showers and swimming, mainly because of the leather strap. Leather and water don’t mix well long term; it will get stiff, crack, or start to smell if you soak it often.

The strap is the weak point in terms of long-term durability. Like most calfskin straps at this price, it will show wear on the holes and where it bends around the wrist. After a couple of weeks, mine already had visible creasing, which is normal but something to keep in mind. The good part is that you can swap it easily, so when it eventually looks tired, you’re not stuck; you just buy another 22 mm strap and move on.

In short, this is not a rugged tool watch, but it’s perfectly fine for someone working in an office, going out to dinner, or doing normal city life stuff. If you want something to take hiking, swimming, or to a construction site, I’d look at a proper sports watch or a G-Shock. As long as you treat this Fossil like a dress/casual watch and not a tank, it should hold up reasonably well.

This watch runs on an automatic movement with analog display and a claimed 40-hour power reserve. In practice, that means it winds itself as you move your wrist, and if you leave it off for more than a day and a half, it will eventually stop and you’ll have to set the time again. During my use, if I wore it all day and took it off at night, it kept running fine. If I left it on the dresser for two days straight, it stopped, which is exactly what the specs suggest.

In terms of accuracy, don’t expect quartz-level precision. Over a few days, I noticed it drifting by a few seconds per day. For normal daily wear, that’s not a big deal for me, but if you’re picky about exact seconds, you might get annoyed. This is pretty typical for fashion-brand automatics at this price level. The chronograph-style subdials add some visual depth, but they’re not on the level of serious chronographs from more specialized watch brands. They work, but they’re not what I’d call high-performance timing tools.

One thing I liked is the self-winding rotor. It’s satisfying to know you’re not dealing with a battery (even though the product listing oddly mentions a lithium battery, which doesn’t really line up with the whole automatic thing). In daily life, it basically means as long as you wear it regularly, you don’t have to think about power. If you’re the type who rotates between several watches, you’ll need to reset it more often, which can get a bit old.

Overall, performance is “good enough” for someone who wants a stylish automatic watch and doesn’t obsess over perfect timekeeping. It’s not built to be a precision instrument or a hardcore sports watch. It’s mainly there to look good and keep roughly accurate time, which it does. If you need rock-solid precision and zero fuss, a quartz watch or a smartwatch will serve you better.

Out of the box, the Fossil Grant Automatic feels like a mid-range fashion watch, which is basically what it is. You get the watch itself, a branded metal tin, some basic paperwork, and that’s about it. No fancy extras, no tools, no spare strap. The tin looks nice enough to keep for storage or as a small box on your desk, but it’s still just a tin, not a luxury wooden case or anything like that.

The watch model I used is the ME3099: silver stainless steel case, cream sunray skeleton dial, brown leather strap, and Roman numerals. The case size is listed as 45 mm, which is on the larger side. On my average wrist (about 17.5 cm / 7 inches), it definitely has presence but doesn’t feel like a wall clock. If you have very small wrists, it might look a bit oversized. The strap is 22 mm wide and is interchangeable with other Fossil straps, so you can swap to another leather or even a NATO-style band if you want something more casual.

The paperwork is basic: some instructions for the automatic movement, water resistance notes, and warranty info. It explains the 40-hour power reserve and how the self-winding rotor works, but don’t expect super detailed guidance like you’d get from a hardcore watch brand. Still, it’s enough to get started: how to set the time, how to use the chronograph-style subdials (they’re more for looks and simple functions), and what not to do in water.

Overall, the presentation is simple but decent. It feels like a mid-priced department store watch, not a luxury unboxing experience. If you’re buying this as a gift, the tin and the visual impact of the watch itself are enough to make a good first impression. Just don’t expect any premium add-ons or a big ceremony when you open it. It’s straightforward: box, watch, papers, done.