>It’s about signalling status and it’s a bonus that it’s fun to ride.
Which is amusing because the only thing you can know about someone with a car like this is they have $200,000 less in the bank than before they bought it.
I remember reading that more than half of all Ferrari sales are financed and that most Ferrari owners have a net worth of less than a million dollars.
It seems that people are willing to strain their finances to signal status.
Anyone can wear a Rolex as well as anyone else. That’s kind of the point: they’re mass-produced, reliable (as such things go), automatic mechanical watches. And you don’t endanger anyone by wearing one.
The great majority of Rolex watches are sold with synthetic jewels in the movement, and no natural stones.
The tiny amount of gem decorated watches they sell are all sold with diamonds certified by the Kimberley Process, which isn't perfect, but is literally the UN standard.
Endangerment adds value though to the gem though. It’s been changed to cut, carat, clarity, and casualties for quite some time now. You can get certificates of authenticity which confirm mine laborer demise. It’s pretty incredible.
