From your point of view, is any BJD worth thousands of dollars?

$4000? Sheesh, I thought finding a $1000 doll was a little much, limited edition or not. ._.
I usually fall for the unlimited editions(I avoid the limited editions because I know I could never afford them). Really, the expense is the main reason I would never buy one. I have to think realistically when I'm shopping for dollies and I know that I would never be able to afford them no matter how hard I try.

I guess the non-money related reason is because I have yet to find one that I love and absolutely HAVE to have. I mean, yes, I've found quite a few lovely ones that I liked, but I knew the attraction and sparkle would only last a short time before I got bored with it.

 

A OOAK doll isn't harder to make than any other doll, but it is substantially more expensive, because you can't split the initial production costs like mold making. The fact that the demand for such a doll is usually way more than the supply (one of a kind dolls are collector pieces), just adds to the value.

Unoa's are very popular, but hard to get, so I don't think it should come as a surprise that they sell for over a thousand dollars on the marketplace. If people are willing to pay for it, then that doll is worth the money, regardless of whether you or I would want to cash out so much.

 

From my point of view, all of my dolls are worth thousands of dollars. =D

But probably nobody else would agree. .^^

 

A reason why my post might have sounded to you this way is the fact that I am not a native English speaker... and maybe you are not one, neither (though I of course don't know that) - this makes communicating quite difficult.

Many communication models hint that what the "sender" is trying to say with a message is not necessarily understood in the same way by the "receiver" (do you know Schulz von Thun and his communication model, just as an example?). Both the language barrier and the situation and mindset of the receiver (in this case you) could make something completely different of what the sender (in this case me) intended to communicate.

To explain it once more: I don't feel scared, I am not "sure that someone is going to rip me off", and like I said, I don't have any general trust issues. It is just what you seem to understand from my words. Debate, for me, is a more theoretical and argumentational process, less emotional than you see it – words like „vulnerable, scared, uncomfortable, broken trust“ seem a bit out of place in my opinion.

You didn't answer my question with the online purchase of a used car. You say you are thinking rationally. Does it really not matter to you how much money you spend on something you have not seen in real life yet? If yes, then either your income is much higher than mine, or we simply don't „speak the same language“ not only literally, but also in the figurative sense of the phrase. Maybe I am just less idealistic and more avaricious, to use your more emotional way of wording

 

No, I would never pay that amount for a doll. Especially not a second hand item which wouldn't even be in mint condition. While I understand the limited nature of it, I really don't think any limited edition dolls should be more than $1500 as a full set, not just the doll.

Personally, I would never pay more than $500 for a doll, right now. Maybe in the future if I fall in love with a particular sculpt. But over $1000 for a nude doll just seems ridiculous to me, no matter how limited the sculpt.

 

I feel that I get a lot in return for my BJD hobby. A creative outlet for various ideas and skills. It also let's me practice my skills. For example, I can practice my sewing for dolls and then use that honed skill for dressmaking for my daughters.
So yes, I do feel that it is worth the price of my dolls whether $100 to $2,000. In the end, it is what you get out of the experience that determines, if it's 'worth' it to you.

 

I would never shell out $1000 or more fore a doll; even if I was a millionaire (I draw the line at $500, with extras, like heel parts, faceup, wig etc). I could use that money to lend to my family or donate it. It wouldn't feel right to me to spend that much on a luxury item when I know I could do more useful things with that kind of money. But thats just me; to each their own

 

One person shelling out $1,000 for one doll is just the same as another spending $500 on two dolls. Really, what's the difference? I'm amused that many say they set the limit at $500 for one doll, and overall have a collection worth thousands. One person may spend $2,000 on one doll and $300 on the next, and have less invested into BJDs than those limiting themselves to $500 BJDs. To each their own I guess ^_^

I think there are BJDs worth thousands. If people are willing to pay thousands, that is what they're worth, despite the delicate nature of BJDs.

And I don't consider yellowing or any other natural process be considered "damage" to BJDs. Sure, if someone left their doll laying on their bed where sunlight streams across it while they went on a two week vacation, that would be damage. As long as the yellowing is normal for the age, it's not damaged.

 

Hey you're right! As for me though, I only have one doll (I've had other dolls) but I only have "one doll" at any given time. I just cant see past the expenses of having a bigger collection when I could be using that money for something useful.

Plus they take up too much of my space. If I could I would love to own every doll just for a little while but not forever, so that I can keep my space and not feel guilty about the money spent on them. Kind of like renting a car. Yeah I'd rent my doll out. I think I just found a new business venture...

 

Well, I've never seen a doll that expensive. It would have to be pretty freaking beautiful for me to pay more than $2k for it, because there are some gorgeous dolls that don't cost nearly so much.

 

AmberLeigh, I'll reply to your post because I am one of those people who has a maximum dollar amount per doll that I am willing to spend, even though my entire collection is certainly way beyond that price point. I replied to this thread a few pages back (page 13, post 252) that the maximum I'll spend on an SD-sized full-set is $1500. I realize that you were not addressing me directly, but perhaps my reply will clarify why there is a difference for some people and why they may have a "per doll limit".

The reason has nothing to do with affordability (because, obviously, one can save up and buy a more expensive doll by passing on less expensive dolls), but, to me, no doll is worth more than $1500 full-set. Worth is very subjective and varies by personal preference, priorities, principles, etc. For example, to some, spending thousands of dollars on a diamond engagement ring is not worth it, even though they can afford it. Others feel that if you are going to buy an engagement ring, nothing but a diamond will do. It's all a matter of perspective.

 

I think that a doll is worth as much as anyone is willing to pay for it. It's not so very different from those willing to shell out a couple of millions for a famous painting. Is the painting more worth it than, say, a OOAK doll?
I personally think that any item is worth the maximum amount of money people are willing to pay for it.

If I had the money, there're a few couple of dolls I would be willing to pay several thousand dollars for, and maybe sometime in the future, I will. I personally, would rather pay $5000 for one doll I seriously want than $500 each for ten dolls I don't want quite as much.

And also, the one doll I have and love the most (the first one I fell in love with, and, mind you, it's not a limited and costs $500 nude) is worth several thousand dollars to me, because even though I could get a new one pretty much the same, it wouldn't be the exact same one I already have and love.

 

-Is any doll worth that amount from your point of view?
Yes, though it wasn't $4000 but was around $2800. I bought her because I really liked her head sculpt, and since she was a limited edition, she became even rarer after released and was very hard to come by. I didn't want to loose the chance and decided to purchase her when I found her second handed in a store I frequent. Now, there's another one that I really want and her price almost reach the $4000 mark. However, I don't think I will be purchasing her. Even though I like her even more, I found the $4000 to be ridiculous. She was $500 when she first released. The other was a little over $1000. So for me, I guess it depends more on the mark up of the original price. If the mark up appears reasonable to me, despite in the thousands dollars range, I will still buy the doll given that I have the funds and I like her.

-If you have ever bought a limited doll from a second hand market for a minimum of a few thousand dollars, what are the pros and cons of this? And do you worry that it may lose value due to popularity (or lack of) or from typical wear over time? What makes that doll worth it to you?
The pros is I get the doll that I always dream about, using my own money, which makes it worth it even more. The cons is of course I'm not her first owner as well as her price. She's no longer in mint condition, and there may be damages I never known of. And her price will be high. I won't worry about her losing her value, since her value depends on me. I like her and believes she worth that amount, that's why I paid that amount to get her. However, I do worry about her getting a rerelease. Even though I think she's worth that amount, thinking I could save a few thousands of dollars by waiting will make me sad (those thousands can be used to buy her a lot of things. ) I'm contradicting myself. ^^"

-To those who would not pay this amount, even if you did have the money: Let's just pretend that your dream dolly is a limited going for a few thousand, why wouldn't you be willing to pay this amount? For my other dream doll, I decided I didn't want to pay this amount because I found the mark up is too much. She was only $500 when she first released and it's been only two years. Increasing her price 8 times is too much in my opinion.

 

I don't know about everyone else, but my dolls are worth thousands with the money I sink into their wardrobe. I'm a shoe/hat/clothes junky.

 

-Is any doll worth that amount from your point of view?
Honestly? No, not really. I spend a significant amount on my dolls and their clothes and such, but I have to draw a line somewhere. $1000 is about my limit as I think spending anymore than that would definitely hamper my enjoyment of the doll.

-To those who would not pay this amount, even if you did have the money: Let's just pretend that your dream dolly is a limited going for a few thousand, why wouldn't you be willing to pay this amount?
My dream dollies are all within a reasonable price range for me. Even if I grow fond of an especially expensive or limited doll the price can and will put me off of adding them to my wishlist. Even if I had thousands of dollars lying around it would be difficult to justify spending that much on one doll as I'd rather travel or something like that. Other things often take priority. On another note, I admire the commitment some people have to this hobby and to art. I in no way look down upon or boggle at people who can and do spend that kind of money on dolls. Maybe someday I'll get to a place like that.

 

-Is any doll worth that amount from your point of view?

For me, yes. I payed several thousand dollars for my only doll (Volks Suigintou) and I have no regrets.

Based on Yahoo Japan Auctions I've been tracking since forever xD, I payed the average market value which made me feel better about the purchase. I payed a slight bit on the higher end because she was a fullset and new/unused.

That's a premium I was willing to pay extra for because I'm pretty sure she's the only doll I plan to purchase and being the type of person I am, I didn't want her to be a used doll/missing parts of her fullset. The seller sold to me directly which saved me shopping service fees and double shipping.

-If you have ever bought a limited doll from a second hand market for a minimum of a few thousand dollars, what are the pros and cons of this? And do you worry that it may lose value due to popularity (or lack of) or from typical wear over time? What makes that doll worth it to you?

I guess a pro would be that I got the exact doll that I wanted and didn't have to compromise. Another pro would be that I was able to purchase the doll immediately once I had the funds to do so. I didn't have to wait and see when a re-release would happen, or if it would even happen. It isn't really a given with every doll.

Cons would be that I had to pay several times over the original retail value, which wasn't that inexpensive to begin with.

In terms of value, I'm surprised at how solid the market is for my particular doll in terms of price and demand. That being said, I never plan on selling my girl. So the market highs/lows don't really phase me. I'm extremely careful with my girl so I'm hoping (knocks on wood) that I would never cause such extreme damage to really affect her value. However, if something should happen, I would work more towards fixing her to please me than to restore her market value.

What makes her worth it to me is that simply she is the most beautiful doll I have ever seen. Mixed with the versatility and larger scale that comes along with her being a SD sized ABJD, I feel no need for any other doll.

Edit because I loved this quote! My girl has expensive taste and with the few things I've gotten her I think I've already added $1000+ besides the initial doll purchase. Based on the items she's currently eyeing I don't think it's going to stop anytime soon

 

Whether or not a doll is worth something or not is totally up to the buyer. It's subjective at best, the value of something means nothing if no one is willing to pay that much for what ever the item happens to be.

I can't picture myself buy any doll for thousands of dollars, no matter how much I liked the sculpt. They are lovely pieces of artwork that thankfully we can play with. that being said if I did pay thousands of dollars for a doll I'd be afraid to play with it and that would totally defeat the purpose to me. I buy dolls I like so I can play with them. If they sat on a shelf or in a display case forever I'd feel like I was neglecting them. I know some people don't play with them and to these people they are just pieces of art to display and that's perfectly fine, as long as they enjoy their dolls I'm totally alright with it. That's just not how I personally play with them.

So, to me I'd have to say no, personally no doll is worth thousands of dollars. If a doll I really liked was that much I'd just move on and find some other doll I liked just as much that wasn't LE. That doesn't mean I'd stop liking the doll. I'd just not own it. Hey, that's what the gallery is for isn't it? I'd just look at other peoples version and be happy with that.

 

I really don't think it's worth thousands of dollars! I know some people see it as a work of art, so maybe to them. But I have a lot more expenses, and it's tough to justify it.

 

To someone it is worth it, and that's why they're going for the prices they are... To me, not really.
Not at an inflated price. A new, expensive, BJD is worth it to me if the quality matches the price.

But I don't really get the allure of most limited, or limited fullsets, things like that.
But that's just me. I think 600 is my limit for a doll. (Not counting clothes. If I counted the money I spent on clothes later, I'd faint.)

 

-Is any doll worth that amount from your point of view?

Yes and why i think this is because if its worth that much to you sentimentally than yes i do think its worth that much. But in my opinion the doll has to be perfect to be sold for thousands of dollars.

-If you have ever bought a limited doll from a second hand market for a minimum of a few thousand dollars, what are the pros and cons of this? And do you worry that it may lose value due to popularity (or lack of) or from typical wear over time? What makes that doll worth it to you?

If i bought a doll that i wanted badly from a second hand market i think the pro's would be that the doll would be cheaper hopefully good condition since its collectors owned. Cons would be obvious might have yellowing or might be broken or stained also might be missing items if it was a fullset. Personally if i would of bought a doll for a thousand or more i probably would never sell it unless i came to financial dept. I do see the dolls as pieces of art and i always thought if i ever bought a painting id pay that much just for the artist and my love for the painting.
-To those who would pay this amount but haven't/can't: What makes a doll worth this amount to you?

Maybe who sculpted it the company and how much its worth to me.