Watches are one of those items that can have a very wide price range. You can purchase a watch for as little as $10, while some will spend $5000 or more. Why are some people willing to pay so much for a watch? Is it just because they are looking for a quality watch that will keep accurate time and last for years? Some would say that quality is the main reason. The question is this: At what point in the vast price range of watches does quality reach its peak.

When it comes to watches, it may be difficult to draw a line between what is quality and what is extravagance. To put it another way, what makes a $2000 watch better than a $800 watch? Does the more expensive one keep time better than the other one? Will the more expensive one last longer? Do you have to pay thousands of dollars to get a quality watch? The answer is: Not always. With all the advancements in technology even moderately priced watches can be made to keep time well and last for years. So I submit to you that when it comes to high end or expensive watches it's not about quality or durability. It's about prestige, style, and image.

Let's talk about what can make a watch so much more expensive. First the obvious thing would be the materials used to make the watch. Gold is the first thing one might think of when it comes to an expensive watch. Gold is more expensive than stainless steel, which is used to make the majority of the budget priced watches. Also the use of platinum in watches is increasing, even though it is more expensive than gold.

Another factor that can make a watch expensive is the features it has. Today there are so many choices in features and style to choose from depending on your taste and lifestyle. For example some watches can tell you the time in different time zones. There are other watches that have USB capability that can carry personal data.

After we determine the materials used and the features of the watch, there is another thing that can drive up the cost of a watch. Have you ever heard of Gucci, Calvin Klein, or Yves Saint. Laurent? Most likely you have. Yes, that much desired designer label can make a mid priced watch a high end priced watch that many people are willing to pay for.

Even though it is believed that many watchmakers make most of their profits from the watches that are in the lower to upper middle price range, I would guess that high end and designer watchmakers are doing pretty well too.