Think about an old watch that has been worn for twenty or thirty years.
Its scratches may record everyday life.
Its worn strap may show how frequently it was used.
Its movement may have been serviced multiple times.
Perhaps it was present during important events: a first job, a wedding, a graduation, a long journey, or the birth of a child.
The watch itself does not remember those moments.
But the person wearing it does.
Objects become meaningful because of the memories attached to them.
That is why an inexpensive watch can sometimes be more emotionally valuable than an expensive one.
The Difference Between Price and Value
This distinction is particularly important.
Price is measurable.
Emotional value is not.
A luxury wristwatch can cost thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. Another watch may cost a small fraction of that amount.
Yet someone might treasure the inexpensive watch because it belonged to a parent.
