• by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, November 11, 2015

When it comes to luxury goods, it’s safe to say when looking at the price tag, most of us ordinary (not rich) people quietly ask ourselves: “Is it really worth that much? What makes this so special? Why would I, or anyone, pay $3,000 for a pair of boots?”

Actually, I imagine some rich people probably wonder the same things.

Bloomberg Pursuits is setting out to answer that question with a new online video series showing how various luxury goods are made. The series, appropriately called “Made,” debuted last week with “How to Make a Knife” -- but not just any knife. This particular knife is handcrafted by Bloodroot Blades, a company founded by two artisanal blacksmiths in Athens, Georgia; some of the knives can cost $700 or more.

The video uses lots of close-up, slow-motion video to achieve a calming, somewhat hypnotic effect, conveying the feeling that true craftsmanship is a sort of existential meditation. The documentary on knife-making was more than a little reminiscent of Japanese blacksmiths forging a samurai blade.

The next video focuses on a luxury haberdasher, with future videos exploring the work of a fly tier (for fly fishing), a leather jacket maker, and a company that makes skis by hand.

The first seven episodes in the series are being sponsored by Alfa Romeo, with message placements including pre-roll video and banner display ads.

According to Bloomberg Pursuits digital editor Chris Rovzar, the Made videos are part of a big expansion in the publication’s online video content. The first content included technology and car reviews, usually under three minutes in length, but “We've also started running much more sporadic in-depth short films like Made, where we give topics room to breathe… They can run up to 11 minutes.”

Next year, Bloomberg plans to introduce a mid-range of videos in the three to seven-minute range -- for example in-depth car reviews that also incorporates travel content, or a feature on cocktails that touches on fashion and entertainment.