Insane?Yes....
Compared to cars?Well a good minute repeater from a well marketed brand will buy you 2(two!!!!)Rolls royce wraith,1Bentley continental and probably with the change you ll get a WWgolf for everyday....does it make sense?NO! The sublime(often very weak) chime of the repeater is an experience...but cruising with a Wraith is as good as(I am being sarcastic..).
We all decide to believe a certain story...and we get blinded by it....
But we are a Purist site,we dig a bit deeper than the lies of the marketing monster,we can make decision on our own,less "contaminated"from the sirens of false luxury.
Therefore we(or I at least) judge,compare,touch,and then we make our own mind.
There are brands out there(I won't name ..too easy)that can case a cheap chrono movement in an exotic material and charge $200 k ,and.....sell IT! As you said if the market want it ,be it,they are right,I would do the same.....does that make that Chrono a better one for me?ABSOLUTELY NOT...I still retain my opinion on it...
Commercial success and general perception (or value retaining) are not my criteria(nor they should be of any self proclaimed Purist).
I tend to compare similar products from different brands...in most of the cases the name on the dial will affect general perception,attitude hence its price.
Market price,or value retained are not my main drives.I buy what I like,based on the horlogical relevance that that particular watch has for me.
A small example:lets take the 2 most iconic sport watches,the royal oak and nautilus.In my opinion (mine)the Royal oak is far more refined ,beautiful,elegant that the Nautilus by a country mile.Many will disagree.....ok but lets pretend that the royal oak was a Patek collection,or better,lets remove Patek Philippe from the Nautilus dial and write any other brand..Are you sure that the general opinion would be the same?Do you think the nautilus would have had the same devotion and success if it was...I don't know ,a Girrard Perregaux for example?
A real purist would love it at the same level....But I doubt strongly that that would be the case....
therefore I come to the conclusion that some brands generally are too expensive for what they have to offer(to me).If the market disagrees with me ,be it...good luck.
Ultimately we all decide to get attracted to the siren who sings the best (to us)....we go back to the old"to each his own"which make the world a beautiful place to live in.
Great discussion as usual Mark.
Mo