I have another submission. Two of my hobbies are birdwatching and horseracing, and while they share fairly little in common -- there is one overlap. Having good quality optics is a nice asset for both of them.
So, a few years ago, I did my homework, and invested some "found money" into a nice set of binoculars, my
Nikon Superior E field glasses. I have the 10 x 42 (top of that particular line) and I have never, ever regretted a cent of their substantial purchase price.
In the birdwatching field, the hobby is growing rapidly in popularity (especially among the well-to-do demographics) -- and there are ways to spend two to five times as much on a pair of binoculars as I did on these. At some point, I suppose it's possible that I become inclined to do so. But for my needs -- these Nikons have an ideal weight and balance, the image is really as good as any I have ever seen (including much more expensive models, which I have even field-tested), and are really
perfect for my needs.