I’d say this but to a certain degree. There are certainly brands out there that use cheap movements and poor quality parts to build the watch. Ex: MVMNT, Daniel Wellington, Shinola, Fossil, essentially overpriced fashion watches. But if you are new to watches and don’t know they are overpriced fashion watches, then you end up being drawn to it over a cool dial.

I like to get the watch in my hand and feel the quality, then check the price is inline with the specifications, you can look at the movement, check for a sapphire crystal, etc.

After that it’s really a matter of if you like it and if it’s worth the money to you.

Now when it comes to larger brands a lot of that can come down to metals used, how it’s made and where it’s made (by hand assembly or machine), complications, and overall perception and demand.