Well, here's my take on it. Pre-quartz days, back when having a reliable means of telling time was essential for living life (e.g., getting a job, business deals, etc.), solid movement housed inside a solid construction was worth the investment. Enter Bulova, Hamilton, Gruen, etc. Similar to having a car, internet and a computer, a cell phone, etc. nowadays. Post-quartz era, when everyone can afford to tell time for the sake of telling time, all the hoopla about the artistry of horology is exactly that: art.
Horological artistry has become a blend of art and jewelry, and no longer function. Timex took care of that! If anyone thinks automatics and manual winds have superior functionality, they're f'n nuts! Ask a daily pro-diver, not a hobbyist, and majority will tell you that they have a computer on their wrist, not a Rolex. Fighter pilots have gov. issued quartz Marathons on their wrists, not a $5000 Navitimer.
However, I personally don't have a problem with artistry on my wrist, no different than artistry of driving a high end car, etc., etc. I'd be a hypocrite to say otherwise. However, when a Hamilton khaki w/ ETA2824-2 costs $300-400 made in Swiss, there really is no reason for a Tag with the exact same movement to cost $1800, and a SS Cartier to cost $4000.
I have less problem paying for WG, YG, full gold, and platinum high end watches, because at least then they're truly jewelry.
my 2 cents. Then again, I'm preaching to the quire here.
