Why new Rolexes can cost less than used ones

Some ads help create ‘symbolic value’ for products

A Rolex watch and a watch from the Dollar Store serve the same purpose: helping the wearer tell the time. But a Rolex is worth thousands of dollars while the Dollar Store watch is costs $1 because of symbolic value, or what the watch says about its wearer. This article helps break down the difference between the two.

Why caviar is still so expensive, even though it's no longer rare

An ounce of caviar can cost more than $250, even though China has flooded the market with a surge in supply over the past decade. As it turns out, the perception of caviar as a luxury good rather than a true scarcity is part of what keeps it so expensive.

The 'dupe' economy is fueled by the youthful thrill of thrift

Historically, you don't want people to know you have a knock-off luxury item. But today's younger generations are embracing the "dupe" economy, an open celebration of luxury knock-off items where consumers are proud to pay less for something roughly equivalent to premium brand offerings.

There's a debate over whether or not Hermes Birkin bags are good investments

Hermes often requires would-be buyers of its luxury Birkin purses (which can cost as little as $10K or more than $100K, depending on the bag) to have a relationship with a sales associate before getting off the company’s Birkin “wish list” and being granted the opportunity to purchase one.

Here's why weddings are so expensive

Anyone who has planned a wedding knows firsthand how shockingly expensive things like flowers or a live band can be. This article from the wedding experts at The Knot breaks down why, exactly, weddings cost so much. Plus, it explains the truth behind the so-called “wedding tax.” Read the article to learn more.

Tiffany & Co. was among LVMH's most expensive—and complex—acquisitions

Three years after LVMH acquired Tiffany in 2021 for $15.8B, the jeweler's profits doubled to over $1B per year.

Which cars retain the most value after five years?

Aside from two different models of Porsches, the cars with the lowest rates of depreciation after five years aren't luxury vehicles. For instance, Honda Civics and Toyota Corollas both made the top 10 list. To see the ranking, which is based on data from over 1.1 million used cars from model year 2018 and sold between November 2022 and October 2023, click here.

Raising the price of a Peloton bike increased the company's early sales—and that's part of why the bikes are so expensive

The original Peloton stationary bikes sold for about $1.2K, but Peloton founder John Foley said that price point made consumers skeptical of the product's quality. After increasing the price of a bike to $2K, Foley said people started to believe it was a quality product, and sales soon increased.

Find out what salary makes each generation 'upper class' today

For instance, as of 2026, Gen Zers are considered upper class in lower-cost-of-living areas when they start making around $110K per year. In areas with a higher cost of living, they're considered upper class once they make $130K to $150K or more per year.

The most expensive ad of all time was for Chanel No. 5 perfume and cost roughly $33M to produce in 2004—about $57M in today's dollars.

Monaco is the world's most expensive real estate market

New York City was the world's second-most expensive real estate market, and Hong Kong was the third. A visual ranks the top 20 most expensive real estate markets in the world at the time.

Hear the stories behind each Super Bowl ring from the past 59 champions

Super Bowl rings are championship jewelry given to players, coaches, and staff to commemorate a title. Over time, they’ve grown dramatically—from the Packers’ 1966 ring with a single half-carat diamond to modern designs featuring nearly 10 carats.

The economics of romance novels

Romance is the publishing industry's most popular genre, with over 44 million units sold in 2025 alone. This episode of "The Economics of Everyday Things" podcast explores how the once-maligned form became the most reliable kind of book in the industry.

Some coin denominations have ridges on their sides in part to prevent counterfeiting

You may have noticed that dimes and quarters feature small ridges on their sides that other coins, like pennies and nickels, don't have. This video can help you learn more about why the practice, called "reeding," was first started—and why it's still used today.

The economics of horse racing

The Triple Crown races last less than three minutes, but the training and resources needed to create a winning thoroughbred are extensive. This Fox Business article dives into the costs associated with owning and training a racehorse, which can range from $1K to over $1M. It also discusses the extent to which the horse racing industry contributes to the economy.

Watch Apple Watch cases be 3D printed from titanium powder

Apple Watch Ultra 3 cases are 3D printed entirely from recycled, aerospace-grade titanium powder using lasers to fuse particles. Over 400 metric tons of raw titanium were saved in 2025, with two watches fabricated from the same amount of raw material that would have previously been used to make one.

Do people really look younger than they used to?

Why do people today look younger than they used to? From style to science, there are 3 surprising reasons we age differently now.

An expense ratio represents the cost to own an ETF over the course of the year

For instance, an expense ratio of 0.5% would add a cost of $50 on an investment of $10K. And while expense ratios have on average decreased in recent years, a particularly hefty fee can still eat into total profits.

How are rotisserrie chickens so cheap?

Rotisserie chickens offer up an entire bird roasted in a slurry of flavor and added ingredients at many supermarkets, ready to eat. They are surprisingly cheap, with the average sold for between $5 and $9 in the US. This video explores how inexpensive they are, highlighting that they are usually birds near expiration and roasted in bulk in industrial ovens.

The new phenomenon of 15-minute lab-grown diamonds

In 2024, scientists developed a groundbreaking method to create diamonds at normal room temperature and pressure. This efficient and simple process contrasts with the traditional high-pressure, high-temperature method. While limitations still exist, such as minuscule sizes, this discovery moves us toward an exciting new era in diamond synthesis. Check out the article for further information about how diamonds are made.

Hear Ray Dalio's principles for navigating a changing world order

Dalio argues that there aren't new events in history, per se, and that people are taken by surprise by events because they just haven't happened in their lifetimes—not because they are actually novel.

OTC hearing aids are now available in the US and cheaper than prescription ones

The devices, available in recent years, are typically more affordable than prescription ones and are intended for people with mild to moderate hearing loss, yet surveys suggest people often don't feel comfortable choosing one on their own. The nonprofit Consumer Reports ranked available OTC options to help patients navigate the market.

Guns N' Roses' 'November Rain' is the most expensive music video ever

This list breaks down the priciest videos to ever hit MTV. The top spot is a 1991 video featuring an over-the-top narrative, cinematic shots, and luxurious costumes costing a whopping $11M.

US housing costs have risen by roughly 175% between 1991 and 2026—but a growing number of Gen Zers are becoming homeowners anyway. In 2025, 4% of homebuyers were Gen Z, up from 3% the year before.

For much of human history, homeownership was primarily associated with the elite

Before the Industrial Revolution, early mortgages were rather exclusive loans given only to nobility. But as more people gained more wealth through the Industrial Revolution, banks began to take on “higher-risk” loans to everyday people.

In recent years, orcas have begun sinking boats and other orcas are following in their footsteps

For just over five years, killer whales have been ramming (and occasionally sinking) expensive yachts, sailboats, and fishing boats in waters near European coasts. Scientists believe these incidents are the result of play rather than aggressive attacks.

The reusability of Falcon 9's first stage rocket has slashed launch costs

Unlike older rockets left to sink in the ocean, the first stage was designed to steer itself back for a controlled landing on a sea-based barge. Refurbishment of these components are half the cost of building new.

Art theft is the third-largest source of criminal revenues worldwide, thanks in part to the subjective nature of valuing a work of art.

Some coin denominations have ridges etched on their sides, partly to prevent counterfeiting, in a practice called 'reeding.'

The price of gas is a composite made up of several different factors, with the federal gas tax making up less than 20% of what drivers pay at the pump.

Netflix profits when you're not watching, and its movies are designed that way—read a detail-rich critical essay exposing lesser-known Netflix takes

About 2,000 US babies are born annually without some portion of their limbs, potentially leading to a lifetime of pricey prosthetics.

Frank Lloyd Wright's houses are historically hard to sell because they're old, subject to local landmark commissions, and often unfashionable

Stanford built a Google Maps for the Roman Empire, revealing how much it cost to travel in the ancient world

While the first exchange-traded fund (a 'basket' of different assets that can be bought and sold on a stock exchange) in the US only launched in 1993, the global ETF market has grown to more than $10T in the short time since.

The 1987 Nintendo video game 'Stadium Events' isn't known for being particularly fun, but its scarcity has made it a highly sought-after item that has sold for up to $35K at auction.

Up to a million Girl Scouts sell about 200 million cookie boxes every spring, generating $800 million, largely because refusing a child is frowned upon

Watch this video that uses Lego bricks to explain how venture capital works.

Warren Buffett's former professor Benjamin Graham is known as the 'father of value investing,' a strategy in which investors seek to buy stocks trading below their intrinsic worth.

'Silent' fireworks have gained more interest in recent years as a quieter celebratory option.

The first steps to rebuilding your credit score include getting to know exactly what's on your credit report and figuring out how far you are from the '700 club,' or 'good score' range.

Neutron stars, the remains of some massive stars after they explode in a supernova, are the densest directly observable objects in the universe.

Sony set the standard for cylinder-shaped batteries when it repurposed manufacturing equipment used to make rolls of magnetic recording tape.

Corals are themselves not coral reefs—the term refers to the tiny marine invertebrates that build the rigid reef.

Lesser-known phobias include turophobia, or the fear of cheese, and nomophobia, the fear of being without your cell phone.

Studies suggest when you sleep is as important as how much you get, and syncing with your circadian rhythms may lead to less fatigue and improved long-term health outcomes

Pure water does not conduct electricity because this flow of energy requires the movement of charged particles, and water is a neutral molecule.

The Beatles' US label rejected the band's first two singles, 'Please Please Me' and 'From Me to You,' with one executive calling the band 'dead in the water.'

Explore chaos in this simulation of two double pendulums, where small differences in the release angles produce wildly different outcomes.