In the case of cars, people will say, “I have a car so that I can go from point A to point B.” A house “is there so that I have shelter to live in.” Clothes are “to protect me from the elements.”
Luxury / sports cars aren’t for going from A to B faster. Luxury houses and designer dresses aren’t for shelter or protection from the elements.
Jewelry (and expensive watches, etc) does have an additional element where in some (many) societies, it’s the traditional default for a man to buy them for a woman. So when you see a woman with an expensive ring, you might think “rich husband” instead of or as well as “rich wife”. And indeed, historically, men often owned most or all money (and land, animals, ….) while women could own jewelry (and expensive clothes, tools, art, …). So several things are being signaled. But displaying wealth is still important—otherwise more people would sell their expensive rings after consummating the marriage.
Luxury / sports cars aren’t for going from A to B faster. Luxury houses and designer dresses aren’t for shelter or protection from the elements.
Jewelry (and expensive watches, etc) does have an additional element where in some (many) societies, it’s the traditional default for a man to buy them for a woman. So when you see a woman with an expensive ring, you might think “rich husband” instead of or as well as “rich wife”. And indeed, historically, men often owned most or all money (and land, animals, ….) while women could own jewelry (and expensive clothes, tools, art, …). So several things are being signaled. But displaying wealth is still important—otherwise more people would sell their expensive rings after consummating the marriage.