Actually I would think the US version would be a nice watch. The article seems to stress that it is a status indicator for business purposes.
While hackers may just use their phones it is unusual to see a wealthy banker, talent agent or lawyer without a nice watch. I would assume it is more prevalent in jobs that require a lot of signaling for negotiation.
Hence, not a status symbol.
To that generation that "gets it", though, then perhaps watches are status symbols.
A status symbol that people have these days is their house. Most people pay way more than they can afford, mostly to make themselves feel like they "fit in" with a "more elite" crowd. (I noticed this because I rent what someone with my income can afford, but the people I live with make a lot less money than me. They are using their housing as a status symbol; I am using it as a place to sleep and shower.)
You don't have to know the list price of a sports car to tell it is expensive. It's obvious just from looking at it.
They're pretty cheap.
For many, an old Mazda MX-5 is a superior track-day car to many newer vehicles costing several times as much.
The Ariel Atom is especially instructive, as it achieves higher performance by dispensing with the sheet metal -- which is the primary medium for an automobile's signaling.