【WhenIwasseven,myfathergavemeaTimex,myfirstwatch.Ilovedit,woreitforyears,andhaven’thadanotheronesinceitstoppedtickingadecadeago.Why?BecauseIdon’tneedone.IhaveamobilephoneandI’malwaysnearsomeone】

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

　　Butwhilethesewisepeoplehaverealizedthattheydon’tneedthem,others—includingsomedistinguishedonesofourtime—arespendingtotalfortunesonthem.BrandssuchasRolex,PatekPhilippeandBreitlingcommandshockingprices,upto£250.000forapiece.

　　Thisisridiculous.Expensivecarsgofasterthancheapcars.Expensiveclotheshangbetterthancheapclothes.Butthesedays,allwatchestellthetimeaswellasallotherwatches.Yes,youmaysayexpensivewatcheswillcomewithsomeextrafunctions—butwhoneedsthem?Howoftendoyoudiveto300metresintotheseatotestitsfunctionofwaterproof,orneedtofindyourdirectionintheareaaroundtheSouthPolebyusingitscompass?Sowhypaythatmuchoffiveyears’schoolfeesforwatchesthatallowyoutodothesethings?

　　Ifjusticeweredone,theSwisswatchindustryshouldhavecloseddownwhentheJapanesediscoveredhowtomakeaccuratewatchesforafive-poundnote.Instead,theSwissre-inventedthewatch,withtheaidofmillionsofpounds’worthofadvertising,asamessageabouttheman——usuallyafamousstar,wearingit.Rolexesareforthosewhospendtheirweekendsclimbingicymountains;aPatekPhilippeisforonefromarichornoblefamily;aBreitlingsuggestsyouliketopilotplanesacrosstheworld.

　　Watchesareclassifiedas“investmentitems”(投资项目)now.A1994Philipperecentlysoldfornearly£350,000,while1960sRolexeshavegonefrom15,000to30,000plusinayear.But,tosomewealthypeople,awatchismorethananinvestment.It’savaluabletoyforself-satisfaction,amatteroffashion.Pricesmaykeepgoingup—they’vebeenrisingforfifteenyears.Butwhenfashionmoveson,theownerofthat£350,000treasuredobjectwillsuddenlyfindhisprideandjoyisnomoreagoodinvestmentthanmychildhoodTimes.

　　小题1:Thesalesofwatchest