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On the right day, you can get a high end watch for a lot less than going into a boutique. I bought a Omage Aquaterra, with the big white dial for $1400 years a

On the right day, you can get a high end watch for a lot less than going into a boutique. I bought a Omage Aquaterra, with the big white dial for $1400 years ago. This watch was going for $3500 in the authorized retail stores. Swatch took Costco to court, and lost. There's no factory warranty, but most of these new high end watches will keep perfect time for 10 plus years. Oh yea, Costco does have some watchmaker that supposedly repairs watches. I can repair, so I don't trust anyone anymore. It's too bad companies continually screw Americans on price, on so many products--the medication cost difference really bothers me.

24gttghh 9y ago
Besides the obvious battery life and water-resistant depth, what is the functional difference between that $1400 watch and the $20 Casio I just bought for my girlfriend?
- nyolfen 9y ago
  people who like expensive watches (ie other rich people) can tell that his is expensive, so he's part of the ingroup. it's an impractical amount of money to spend, even at his steep discount, on something that is also functionally outmoded for most people by smartphones, and thus acts as a high-cost (honest) social signal. some people also like sophisticated physical mechanics (likely including GP, since he can repair watches), but i believe that's typically secondary.
  - ruste 9y ago
    It's kind of interesting that we've come full circle. We started with pocket watches and moved to wristwatches when it was too inconvenient to take something out of your pocket to check the time in the trenches of WWI. Now we've transitioned back to pocket watches in the form of a phone because it's "more convenient."
- xraystyle 9y ago
  High end watches serve the same function as jewelry. They're also magnificent pieces of art and engineering in many cases. If you just want something that keeps time, the $20 Casio is fine. In fact, most people I know just look at their phones. However, there's elegance and sophistication present in a luxury watch that you don't get with a simple digital watch.

24gttghh 9y ago

Besides the obvious battery life and water-resistant depth, what is the functional difference between that $1400 watch and the $20 Casio I just bought for my girlfriend?

nyolfen 9y ago
people who like expensive watches (ie other rich people) can tell that his is expensive, so he's part of the ingroup. it's an impractical amount of money to spend, even at his steep discount, on something that is also functionally outmoded for most people by smartphones, and thus acts as a high-cost (honest) social signal. some people also like sophisticated physical mechanics (likely including GP, since he can repair watches), but i believe that's typically secondary.
- ruste 9y ago
  It's kind of interesting that we've come full circle. We started with pocket watches and moved to wristwatches when it was too inconvenient to take something out of your pocket to check the time in the trenches of WWI. Now we've transitioned back to pocket watches in the form of a phone because it's "more convenient."
xraystyle 9y ago
High end watches serve the same function as jewelry. They're also magnificent pieces of art and engineering in many cases. If you just want something that keeps time, the $20 Casio is fine. In fact, most people I know just look at their phones. However, there's elegance and sophistication present in a luxury watch that you don't get with a simple digital watch.