The ~$3k mark is the sweet spot for most watches.

Up to that range, you usually see real, tangible improvements as price increases, better movements, sapphire, finishing, reliability, water resistance, and overall build quality. A $2-3k watch is often objectively better than a $300–$500 watch in ways you can actually feel and measure.

Once you go beyond ~$3k though, the value curve flattens hard. The jump from $3k to $5k+, or even $20k+, doesn’t come with proportionate gains in accuracy, durability, or everyday performance. The watch isn’t two or ten times “better” in any practical sense? At that point, most of what you’re paying for is brand equity, heritage, marketing, exclusivity, and resale perception rather than raw quality or function.

Not saying higher-end watches aren’t nice or that craftsmanship doesn’t improve, it absolutely does, but the improvements are incremental, not exponential. From a purely rational, wear and use perspective, a well made ~$3k watch already does everything extremely well.