There's often a problematic relationship between quality and price, but generally it's a fair assumption that the more you pay, the better the quality. I mean, why pay more if you can get a better deal for less. Fundamental stuff really. People knew this even before Adam Smith.

There are exception though. Watches, for instance. Check out these, from Argos: £199.99£69.99£4.99. The correlation between how good these watches look and how much they cost is, it seems to me, quite clearly inverse. And if you want a really ugly watch, then it's hard to beat the Zenith Men's 96.0529.4035/51.M Defy Xtreme Tourbillon Titanium Chronograph Watch, retailing at Amazon for $86,999.99 (referred to here).

Of course looks may not relate entirely to quality, but it's a major part of it. You need your watch to tell the time accurately, and last a few years. And you want to be able to glance at it and see the time immediately without having to try and work out which buttons to press or what all those other distracting displays signify. Simple and elegant, that's it. Beyond that, unless you're bothered about a watch that continues functioning when you're 1000 metres underwater, or looks like a piece of medical equipment strapped to your wrist, then cheaper here is clearly better.

Which is why I'm now happily wearing that £4.99 Constant Men's Quartz Watch, purchased just the other day from Argos after an unfortunate accident immediately after taking this picture caused the glass of my previous (more expensive) watch to shatter.

The only other (male) items I can think of with a similar inverse value/quality ratio are razors. Why anyone buys anything more expensive than those yellow plastic disposable Bic things at about ten to the pound is a mystery. Those ridiculous expensive double or treble bladed razors are always getting clogged up. Useless.

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6 responses to “The inverse watch law”

  1. DaninVan Avatar
    DaninVan

    Amen! on the razor example. Why WOULD anyone buy anything other than a cheap bic?! I tried one of those swivel head gizmos and nearly destroyed my face; I should have sued the b*stards.
    The wealthy insist on paying more for anything. I’m sure it has something to do with bragging rights.
    Now when it comes to actually paying for the high end goods, well that’s a whole ‘nuther topic…

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  2. Trofim Avatar
    Trofim

    Why buy a razor? Why waste time every day scraping hair off your chin? Baffless me why so many people do it.

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  3. Bob-B Avatar
    Bob-B

    If expensive watches gave you more time – say an extra hour in the day for every ten pounds – they would be worth it. As it is, they are pretty pointless.

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  4. DaninVan Avatar
    DaninVan

    Bob-B; it’s essentially the same as stuffing a sock in your crotch…:)
    (The sock probably works better)

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  5. TDK Avatar
    TDK

    The problem is things we buy do not just fulfil a utilitarian function. There are other factors such as perceived status for one thing.
    B&O rarely get the best buy status in hi-fi reviews, it being recognised that the quality for price ratio is lower than competitors, but people buy the stuff nevertheless.
    For example few would argue that fair trade coffee tastes better than equivalent brands. You are getting a budget product at a premium price. What you buy is the feeling of being virtuous.
    As for razors, I did some work for Wilkinson sword and they gave me a couple of razors. The theory with these consumer devices is that the core product is sold at a discount and the money is made on consumables – you have to keep buying the blades. Computer printers are sold on a similar scheme. At first I bought the blades from Boots or similar. I then discovered you can buy the same blades in bulk for a similar price to the disposable razors (eg eBay). I do find them better and I did use disposables before.

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  6. lsat Avatar

    Products prices should be equal to the quality of the stuff too. You can’t increase the price of a certain item if the quality is low. Let’s be fair because same as you are we are working to gain money too.

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