CWhen I was seven, my father gave me a Timex, my first watch. I loved it, wore it for year

C

WhenIwasseven,myfathergavemeaTimex,myfirstwatch.Ilovedit,woreitforyears,andhaven’thadanotheronesinceitstoppedtickingadecadeago.Why?BecauseIdon’tneedone,IhaveamobilephoneandI’malwaysnearsomeonewithaniPodorsomethinglikethat.Allthesedevices(装置)tellthetime----whichiswhy,ifyoulookaround,you’llseelotsofemptywrists;salesofwatchestoyoungadultshavebeengoingdownsince2007.

Butwhilethewisehaverealizedthattheydon’tneedthem,others----apparentlyincludingsomedistinguishedmenofourtime----arespendingtotalfortunesonthem.BrandssuchasRolex,PatekPhilippeandBreitlingcommandshockingprices,upto￡250,000forapiece.

Thisisridiculous.Expensivecarsgofasterthancheapcars.Expensiveclotheshangbetterthancheapclothes.Butthesedaysallwatchestellthetimeaswellasallotherwatches.Expensivewatchescomewithextr afunctions----butwhoneedsthem?Howoftendoyoudiveto300metr esintotheseaorneedtofindyourdirectionintheareaaroundtheSouthPole?Sowhypaythatmuchoffiveyears’schoolfeesforwatchesthatallowyoutodothesethings?

Ifjusticeweredone,theSwisswatchindustr yshouldhavecloseddownwhentheJapanesediscoveredhowtomakeaccuratewatchesforafive-poundnote.InsteadtheSwissreinventedthewatch,withtheaidofmillionsofpounds’worthofadvertising,asamessageaboutthemanwearingit.Rolexesareforthosewhospendtheirweekendsclimbingicymountains;aPatekPhilippeisforonefromarichornoblefamily;aBreitlingsuggestsyouliketopilotplanesacrosstheworld.

Watchesarenowclassifiedas“investments”(投资).A1994Philipperecentlysoldfornearly￡350,000,while1960sRolexeshavegonefrom￡15,000to￡30,000plusinayear.Butawatchisnotaninvestment.It’satoyforself-satisfaction,amatteroffashion.Pricesmaykeepgoingup----they’vebeenrisingfor15years.Butwhenfashionmoveson,theownerofthe￡350,000beautywillsuddenlyfindhisprideandjoyisnomoreagoodinvestmentthanmychildhoodTimex.

59Thesalesofwatchestoyoungpeoplehavefallenbecausethey__________.

A.haveotherdevicestotellthetime

B.thinkwatchestooexpensive

C.prefertowearaniPod

D.havenosenseoftime