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Fossil ES5438 Carlie Two Tone Bracelet Watch - W10458
Ref. ES5438
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Stepping up in the same colour and case shape
The Carlie Mini is Fossil's compact dress watch, built at 28mm for wrists where most contemporary designs run too wide. At 7mm thin it disappears under a sleeve, and the two-tone execution — gold bezel set with crystals against a silver and gold-tone bracelet — keeps the proportions reading as jewellery without losing legibility to the blue sunray dial beneath, which shifts between deep navy and lighter blue as the light moves across it. The Roman numerals and gold linear indices are well-judged against that dial colour, and the multi-link bracelet adjusts by removing links mechanically, so the fit can be dialled in precisely rather than left loose. The Seiko VJ21 inside is a sensible choice: it runs for up to three years on a single battery, which on a watch this slim means fewer trips to a watchmaker to crack the case.
- Reference
- ES5438
- Brand
- Fossil
- Collection
- Carlie Mini
- Case size
- 28mm
- Case thickness
- 7mm
- Lug width
- 12mm
- Case material
- Two-tone
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Blue
- Crystal
- Mineral
- Bezel
- Fixed
- Movement
- Quartz
- Calibre
- Seiko VJ21
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Two-tone
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Learn more about Fossil
Tom Kartsotis founded Fossil in Texas in 1984 after noticing that fashion watches manufactured in Hong Kong could be produced far more cheaply than the market assumed. The name came from his brother's nickname.
The company's insight was presentation. Fossil watches were designed with a deliberately retro American aesthetic and sold in collectable tin boxes, which made an inexpensive quartz watch feel like an object worth keeping. It worked at scale, and Fossil became one of the largest watch companies in the world by unit volume.
The business then grew primarily by acquisition and licensing. Fossil owns Zodiac, Misfit, and the leather goods brand Skagen, and manufactures watches under licence for a long list of fashion houses — Michael Kors, Armani Exchange, Diesel, Kate Spade, and others. For much of the 2010s Fossil produced a substantial share of all branded fashion watches sold globally.
It was also an early and significant player in smartwatches, launching Android Wear devices from 2015 and becoming the largest maker of Google-powered watches, before that market consolidated around Apple, Samsung, and Google itself.
Fossil remains a public company headquartered in Richardson, Texas, and continues to produce its own mechanical and automatic lines alongside the quartz and connected ranges.
- 1984
- Tom Kartsotis founds Fossil in Texas.
- 1990
- The tin-box packaging becomes a signature.
- 2001
- Acquires Zodiac.
- 2015
- Launches its first Android Wear smartwatches.
Also in 6 collections
This watch appears in the Fossil Carlie Mini range (6), Back in Stock (4,797), Watches Under 37mm (1,684), Women's Watches (1,609), Blue Dial Watches (872) and Two-Tone Watches (480).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
Strengths
- 28mm wears small and slips under any cuff
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Sits in the lower half of Fossil's range as we list it
Worth knowing
- 50m suits rain and handwashing, not swimming
Fossil ES5438 Carlie Two Tone alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | ES5438 | RLB10021/07 | 1782903 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £149 | £149 | £149 |
| Case size | 28mm | 28mm | 28mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 50m | 30m |
| Movement | Quartz | Quartz | Quartz |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Mesh bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet |
| This watch | Closely matched |
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Showering yes, swimming no. 50m covers splashes and brief immersion, but a swimming stroke generates well above the pressure that figure describes.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
It can, over time. Mineral glass handles daily wear but will pick up fine scratches that sapphire would not.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
Yes. It is quartz, so expect a battery change every two to three years at a jeweller.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedWhat size strap does it take?
12mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as women's.
Cheapest place to buy
F.Hinds is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
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