It's exclusivity and sales schticks. Artificial scarcity, social status, conspicuous consumption. Same things that drive influencers to rent limos, pose on other people's private jets, pretend to buy bottles in clubs, flash fake cash, wear bling.

From a birds-eye view it's less a hedonistic treadmill and more a feeding frenzy.

It's a game you can play, but for the life of me, I cannot comprehend why you'd want to, there are so many other better things in life.

>>> Why bother?

Exactly - go give someone you love a hug, that's worth infinitely more than flexing an expensive watch.