What your money earns parked somewhere safe, such as savings or Treasuries. 4.5% is an example; set it to your own rate.
The S&P 500 has averaged roughly 10% a year over the long run, before inflation. Past returns don't guarantee future ones.
Item by item
Bars use a logarithmic scale so a watch and a yacht fit on the same page. Each step is roughly ten times the last.
Where the starting figures come from
Luxury watch. Upkeep 2% a year: specified-item insurance typically runs about 1 to 2% of value annually (Watchscanning), plus a Rolex Service Center overhaul of roughly $800 to $1,600, with Rolex recommending service about every 10 years (Bob's Watches). Value change starts at 0%: steel sports Rolex models have historically held or exceeded retail, while fashion-brand watches lose most of their value (Watchscanning). Adjust for your brand.
Diamond. Upkeep 1.5% a year: scheduled insurance for jewelry is commonly estimated at 1 to 2% of value annually. Value change -8% a year: a diamond engagement ring or other diamond jewelry typically resells for 20 to 60% of its price new, largely because of retail markup (Diamonds.pro). Most of that loss happens at purchase, so short holding periods understate it here.
Supercar. Upkeep 8% a year ($20,000 on $250,000): most Ferrari owners budget roughly $15,000 to $30,000 a year (Ferrari of Central Florida). Value change -5% a year: a Ferrari 458 Italia typically held 70 to 80% of its value over five years (Automonitor).
Blue-chip art. Upkeep 1.5% a year: storage, insurance, appraisals and conservation are estimated at 1 to 2% of collection value annually for modest holdings (Artestial). Value change starts at 0%; set your own expectation.
Motor yacht. Upkeep 10% a year: the widely quoted 10% rule, with real budgets commonly running 10 to 20% once crew, dockage, insurance, fuel and refits are included (Kubera). Value change -7% a year: a new yacht can lose 40 to 50% in its first five years before the curve flattens (YATCO).
Light jet. Upkeep 15% a year ($750,000 on $5 million): light jet operating costs run about $500,000 to $1.2 million a year at 150 to 250 flight hours (Jettly). Value change -6% a year: Jet Advisors president Kevin O'Leary estimates annual depreciation at 5 to 7% (Stacker).
Interest earned. Starts at 4.5% as an example of what money might earn held in savings or Treasuries. Actual rates vary by account and over time, so set it to the rate you can get.
Stock market return. The S&P 500 has historically returned about 10% a year before inflation, or about 6 to 7% after it (Bankrate). Individual years swing widely, and past performance does not guarantee future results.
How the math works. Daily cost to own = value lost (or gained) + upkeep + loan interest, divided by days owned. Value and upkeep use constant annual rates, a simplification: real depreciation is steepest in the early years, and upkeep is held flat in today's dollars. Loans use standard monthly amortization; any balance left at sale is repaid from the sale. Earnings figures = the purchase price and yearly upkeep invested at the interest rate or the stock market return instead, compounded annually, before taxes and fees. Prices, rates and returns are starting points for you to change, not quotes.
For general information and illustration only. This simulator does not constitute financial, tax, legal or investment advice, and results depend entirely on the assumptions entered. Actual costs, financing terms, depreciation and investment returns vary. Consult qualified professionals before any purchase or financing decision. Published by Splurging, a Zemria LLC publication.
The True Cost of Owning Luxury, Measured One Day at a Time
The Splurging Wishlist or Investment? visualizer is a luxury cost of ownership calculator that shows what fine watches, diamonds, supercars, blue-chip art, motor yachts and private jets really cost to own. Add items to your wishlist, set how long you plan to keep them, and choose how you would pay, whether in cash or financed. The simulator then breaks each purchase into a daily figure that combines depreciation, annual upkeep such as insurance, maintenance, crew and storage, and loan interest. Under its starting assumptions, a $15,000 luxury watch works out to about $2 a day, while a $2.5 million motor yacht runs more than $1,000 a day once operating costs and depreciation are counted.
Every purchase is also a decision about what that money could have earned instead. The visualizer compares your wishlist against two alternatives: interest earned on savings, which starts at an example rate of 4.5%, and a stock market return, which starts at 10% to reflect the S&P 500's long-run historical average before inflation. An animated bank shows money flying away when you splurge and gold flowing in when you invest, so the tradeoff between luxury spending and long-term wealth is easy to see. Adjust prices, upkeep, value changes, interest rates and holding periods to match your own plans, then download or share your summary. All figures are illustrative estimates based on the assumptions you enter, not financial advice.
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