I thought this was a better analysis, even if I disagree with parts of it: http://www.quora.com/Why-would-anyone-buy-a-Rolex-watch/answer/Suzanne-Sadedin http:/

I thought this was a better analysis, even if I disagree with parts of it: http://www.quora.com/Why-would-anyone-buy-a-Rolex-watch/answer/Suzanne-Sadedin http://www.quora.com/Why-would-anyone-buy-a-Rolex-watch/answ... (I can't remember how to edit the Quora link to make it non-walled). "There are people claiming that a Rolex is magnificent technology, coincidentally signalling their intelligence. There are people claiming that a Rolex is beautiful, inadvertently signalling their good taste. There are people claiming that a Rolex is reliable and an heirloom, accidentally signalling that they are respectable. And there are people claiming that a Rolex is good for business, purely by chance signalling that they are clever businessmen." "Of course, none of this applies to me. I honestly love Van Gogh paintings, not because it signals good taste within my social circle, but because they're intrinsically beautiful. I'm certainly not trying to raise my social status, or signal anything whatsoever. Not me, no."