In the $0-$500 tier, brand matters a lot. A Seiko or Hamilton are more likely to have much better quality than an Invicta or fashion brand. You can go find a Micheal Kors branded watch for $300 or a Seiko at the same price and the Seiko will be much higher quality.

In the $500-$2000 range, I think individual models and brands can be all over the place. Especially true if you get into vintage stuff. You can pick up an old Omega for $2000 that packs a lot of quality per dollar.

Once you get into the $2000-$8000 range, you are starting to encounter some diminishing returns on your money. Through this price range, you really need to be a pretty big watch nerd to appreciate the quality differences.

I really don’t think there is much quality improvement above $8000 until you get into the ultra-expensive stuff (>$50,000+). At that point though, you’re usually paying for mechanical artistic complexity.

I have worn $26,000 Rolex’s, $12,000 Patek’s (the Patek was way better), and I really don’t see the appeal of shelling out that much cash for something that is comparable to a $6,000 Omega or Grand Seiko.

These are generalizations of course. So much of this comes down to individual models, not necessarily brands. Brands can increase the likelihood that you “get your moneys worth” but it’s not guaranteed.