I have a carbon fibre and silver Caran D'Arche. It cost me GB£ 500 seven years ago, and I use it daily. It, and my watch (a Breitling Navitimer) are the only things I've ever bought where I was able to perfectly balance utility, quality and aesthetics, and hence didn't care less about the cost.

The point is that what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another.