WhenIwassevenmyfathergavemeaTimexmyfirstwatch.Iloveditworeitforyearsandhaven’thadanotheronesinceitstoppedtickingadecadeago.Why?BecauseIdon’tneedone.IhaveamobilephoneandI’malwaysnears

　　WhenIwassevenmyfathergavemeaTimexmyfirstwatch.Iloveditworeitforyearsandhaven’thadanotheronesinceitstoppedtickingadecadeago.Why?BecauseIdon’tneedone.IhaveamobilephoneandI’malwaysnearsomeonewithaniPodorsomethinglikethat.Allthesedevices(装置)tellthetime—whichiswhyifyoulookaroundyou’llseelotsofemptywrists(手腕);salesofwatchestoyoungadultshavebeengoingdownsince2007.

　　Butwhilethesewisepeoplehaverealizedthattheydon’tneedthemothers—includingsomedistinguishedonesofourtime—arespendingtotalfortunesonthem.BrandssuchasRolexPatekPhilippeandBreitlingcommandshockingpricesupto?250.000forapiece.

　　Thisisridiculous.Expensivecarsgofasterthancheapcars.Expensiveclotheshangbetterthancheapclothes.Butthesedaysallwatchestellthetimeaswellasallotherwatches.Yesyoumaysayexpensivewatcheswillcomewithsomeextrafunctions—butwhoneedsthem?Howoftendoyoudiveto300metresintotheseatotestitsfunctionofwaterprooforneedtofindyourdirectionintheareaaroundtheSouthPolebyusingitscompass?Sowhypaythatmuchoffiveyears’schoolfeesforwatchesthatallowyoutodothesethings?

　　IfjusticeweredonetheSwisswatchindustryshouldhavecloseddownwhentheJapanesediscoveredhowtomakeaccuratewatchesforafive-poundnote.InsteadtheSwissre-inventedthewatchwiththeaidofmillionsofpounds’worthofadvertisingasamessageabouttheman——usuallyafamousstarwearingit.Rolexesareforthosewhospendtheirweekendsclimbingicymountains;aPatekPhilippeisforonefromarichornoblefamily;aBreitlingsuggestsyouliketopilotplanesacrosstheworld.

　　Watchesareclassifiedas“investmentitems”(投资项目)now.A1994Philipperecentlysoldfornearly?350000while1960sRolexeshavegonefrom15000to30000plusinayear.Buttosomewealthypeopleawatchismorethananinvestment.It’savaluabletoyforself-satisfactionamatteroffashion.Pricesmaykeepgoingup—they’vebeenrisingforfifteenyears.Butwhenfashionmovesontheownerofthat?350000treasuredobjectwillsuddenlyfindhisprideandjoyisnomoreagoodinvestmentthanmychildhoodTimes.

　　50.Thesalesofwatchestoyoungpeoplehavefallenbecause______.

　　A.theyhaveot