there's a version of expensive that's just expensive. and there's a version that's expensive because it's actually better. those are different things.
i've been thinking about this because i bought something recently that cost more than i wanted to spend. a tool. something i use every day. i'd been using the cheaper version for years and it worked fine. then i used the expensive one and understood immediately why it cost more.
it wasn't the brand. it wasn't the packaging. it was the thing itself — the weight, the balance, the way it did the job with less effort. the cheaper version required more from me. the expensive one just worked. that difference is worth paying for.
the problem is that most expensive things aren't like this. most expensive things are expensive because of the brand, or the story, or the marketing, or the distribution. the object itself isn't better. it just costs more. learning to tell the difference is a skill that takes time.
the things i've found worth paying more for tend to share a few qualities. they're made from better materials. they're designed by people who use them. they last longer than the cheap version. and they don't try to look expensive — they just are what they are.
the California-made goods i respect most have this quality. they're not trying to signal anything. they're just made well. you can feel it when you pick them up.
there's a version of craft and material quality that's about the maker's relationship to the material — knowing what the material wants to do, working with it instead of against it. that knowledge shows up in the object. you can't fake it.
the creative brand values i care about are the ones that start with the object, not the story. the story can be true or false. the object either works or it doesn't.
the maker perspective on this is simple: make the thing as well as you can. charge what it costs to do that. don't apologize for the price. the people who understand will pay it. the people who don't aren't your customer.
i'm still learning which expensive things are worth it. but i'm getting better at telling the difference.