The one-time purchases with the best return are the ones that hold their value, last for decades, or buy back your time, health, sleep and safety. The script opens with a claim: 90% of luxury purchases depreciate the moment you leave the store. There are exceptions, and the article covers 15 of them.
The framing is that net worth is not your only asset. Your time, body, mind, enjoyment, safety and security count too, and the right purchase can buy more of each.
Watch the full video here, or skip to the breakdown below.
The 15 purchases at a glance
- Rolex Submariner (0:47)
- Le Creuset cast iron skillet (1:44)
- Peloton bike (2:39)
- Birkin bag by Hermes (3:34)
- A virtual private network (4:22)
- Kindle Paperwhite (6:07)
- Montblanc Heritage fountain pen (6:57)
- A Tempur-Pedic mattress (7:48)
- The Yeti Rambler (8:39)
- Apple MacBook Pro (9:32)
- Bose noise cancelling headphones (10:30)
- An Ancestry DNA kit (11:16)
- The Herman Miller Embody chair (12:09)
- The Leica Q2 camera (13:08)
- Land in an emerging market (14:08)
1. Rolex Submariner
Launched in 1953 and made in Switzerland, the Submariner was designed for divers. A new one can cost anywhere from $8,000 to $36,000 at retail, if you can find one at retail. Often you have to apply to buy, and you cannot simply resell it.
The mix of reputation, limited annual production and high demand pushes older models to even higher prices on the resale market. It is a luxury item that appreciates, and a functional watch known for durability and retained value.
2. Le Creuset cast iron skillet
A skillet as a luxury item sounds odd, but a 100-year-old Le Creuset found secondhand can be cleaned up and used for another 100 years. The company was founded in 1925 by Armand Desaegher, a casting specialist, and Octave Aubecq, an enamelling expert, in Fresnoy-le-Grand, France, where the main foundry still stands.
At around $200 it is an investment, but versatility and a lifetime warranty make it a kitchen essential. You can hand it to your kids, and even secondhand pieces sell for north of $100.
3. Peloton bike
Good investments also buy you time, and few things extend it like a healthy lifestyle. The Peloton became a household name early in the pandemic, and the script says its appeal has lasted. It is also a community that motivates you toward health goals.
Bikes start at about $1,445, plus a class subscription. The hype has cooled, but the value is in ditching pricey gym memberships and having a consistent routine in your living room, with live classes that can save money over time.
4. Birkin bag by Hermes
Made in France since the 1980s and named after actress Jane Birkin, the Birkin starts around $9,000 and can reach six figures for rare materials. Resale values can be higher still because of rarity and status.
While other luxury brands outsourced production, Hermes kept every bag handmade. Each artisan trains about three years, and one person makes a bag start to finish. Getting one means a long waitlist or building a purchase history with the brand.
5. A virtual private network
Picture working at a coffee shop while someone else on the public Wi-Fi accesses your private data. Or you are trekking in the mountains of Borneo and cannot call home. These problems seem minor until you live through them.
A VPN encrypts your connection, making it much harder for hackers, identity thieves and your internet provider to snoop. It lets you reach your home country’s streaming services while abroad and makes public Wi-Fi at airports and hotels safer. The Alux team is fully remote and travels often, which is why the script treats it as essential.
6. Kindle Paperwhite
Few things are as frustrating as finishing your great holiday book on day one, miles from any shop. For around $140, a Kindle lets you download almost any book you want.
You stop hauling heavy books and stop throwing things out of your bag because it is overweight. You carry a library that weighs next to nothing.
7. Montblanc Heritage fountain pen
Some things get noticed by the right people when you least expect it. The narrator points to a scene in The Devil Wears Prada where Nigel comments on Andy’s Montblanc pen, a sign of her transformation into an insider.
Originating in Germany in the early 20th century, the pens are recognized for craftsmanship and as a status symbol, and cost from $400 to thousands. In a boardroom about to sign a million-dollar deal, the script says this is the pen to use.
8. A Tempur-Pedic mattress
Bad sleep hurts decision-making, mood and metabolism. You lie on your mattress for 8 hours a day, so it deserves support and comfort. Tempur-Pedic is known for memory foam that conforms to the body, which NASA originally developed in the 1970s to cushion astronauts during liftoff.
A Swedish company later adapted the foam for mattresses. Prices run from $1,000 to $5,000, but the script says a drastic improvement in sleep quality is worth it.
9. The Yeti Rambler
A $30 water bottle will not change your life, the script admits, yet nothing else keeps drinks hot or cold that long. Yeti was founded in 2006 in Austin, Texas, by brothers Roy and Ryan Seiders, who hated the quality of coolers available.
They built tough coolers first and then moved into drinkware. A reusable bottle also cuts single-use plastic while keeping you hydrated.
10. Apple MacBook Pro
On everyday laptops, the script says Apple stands head and shoulders above the rest, and once you use a MacBook it is hard to go back. It signals that you care about quality and your work, and the sleek design suits both coffee-shop meetings and boardrooms.
It handles anything from video editing to software development. Prices start around $1,300, and AppleCare+ covers some of the costlier repairs.
11. Bose noise cancelling headphones
Imagine missing the key moment of a call because a truck honks and sirens race by. For great sound quality, the script recommends the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. The noise fades and you hear a clear, crisp sound.
It adds a caution: stay aware of the people, cars and bikes around you when walking. Controlling your audio environment helps in a hectic world, but do not be careless.
12. An Ancestry DNA kit
Where do you really come from, going back hundreds of years? Understanding it could explain why you like or react to certain foods, or why you look different from the people around you.
A kit helps connect the dots across continents and generations. It might lead to meaningful relationships and a sense of belonging, and give insights into health, traits and family traditions. Knowing your heritage helps you appreciate your place in human history.
13. The Herman Miller Embody chair
Can a chair be an investment? The video says yes, since more than 50% of the world works at computers and long sitting can cause chronic pain, obesity and cardiovascular disease.
The Embody came from ergonomics research with input from more than 30 physicians and PhDs in biomechanics, vision, physical therapy and ergonomics. Its spine-like design adjusts to your movements, helping posture and comfort over long hours. It retails for around $1,200.
14. The Leica Q2 camera
The pitch is capturing moments with a device that is the pinnacle of engineering, on a hike in New Zealand. Leicas hold their value because of limited production, high demand and brand reputation.
Alux calls them collectibles as much as photographic equipment, and notes each camera rests on a legacy going back to 1907.
15. Land in an emerging market
If you had visited Sao Paulo or Rio de Janeiro 20 years ago and bought land, you would be happy now. Land in emerging markets has a lower initial investment, which lowers the barrier and the risk.
As an area develops, infrastructure improves, the economy grows and real estate prices rise. Things move faster today, but the script names coastal towns in Vietnam, small towns between Lisbon and Porto, towns in Montenegro and Georgia’s reforms to attract foreign investment as attractive places to look.
Bonus: a one-time purchase of continuous learning.
What makes a purchase pay back
Look at the pattern across the list. Some items appreciate (the watch, the bag, the camera, the land). Some outlast you (the skillet). Others buy back time, health or safety: a bike, a mattress, a chair, a VPN.
The script closes by asking which single purchase gave you the best return, and the answer is likely something that fits one of these buckets.
FAQ
What purchases hold their value best?
The narrator points to a Rolex Submariner, a Hermes Birkin bag, a Leica Q2 camera and land in emerging markets, which benefit from limited supply, strong demand or growth in the area.
Is a luxury purchase ever a good investment?
Most are not. The video says 90% of luxury purchases depreciate the moment you leave the store, so the ones worth buying hold value or give you back time, health or safety.
Why spend more on a mattress or office chair?
You spend about 8 hours a day on a mattress, and bad sleep affects decisions, mood and metabolism. Long sitting can cause chronic pain and other problems, which a well-designed chair helps reduce.
How can a Peloton save money?
By replacing pricey gym memberships with live classes at home, which can save money over time and make a routine easier to keep.
Why buy land in an emerging market?
Initial investment is lower, and as infrastructure and the economy grow, prices rise. Alux names Vietnam, Portugal, Montenegro and Georgia as examples.
Why might a VPN count as a good purchase?
It encrypts your connection, making it harder for hackers and snoopers to see what you do online, and it makes public Wi-Fi safer when you travel.
Keep reading
- 15 Expensive Things That Are Worth The Money
- 15 Smart Money Moves for For Every Stage Of Life
- 15 Things Money CAN’T Buy
