The appearance of so many fine jewelry and watch names in the top 100 — with 25, more than any other category — could be a testament to the fact that clothing is worn for a season or two, but jewelry and watches last a lifetime. Nonetheless, jewelry is perhaps the most truly luxurious category in that it is much more a necessary indulgence than an actual necessity.

So, it’s not surprising that the top three names are Rolex, Tiffany and Cartier, which have each spent hefty sums in advertising and marketing to preserve the image and status of their brands and cement their names in the country’s consciousness.

Besides a reputation for making a nearly indestructible product, Rolex’s endorsements by top athletes and entertainers — like golf pro Annika Sorenstam, opera star Placido Domingo and the cast of “The Sopranos” — make it, in many people’s minds, the truest luxury symbol.

Even before Audrey Hepburn took that early-morning walk along Fifth Avenue, Tiffany has been America’s jeweler. The mere presentation of that blue box and the anticipation over what it contains instantly connotes a certain status among givers and recipients alike. Cartier, too, has a long history in America. Another Fifth Avenue landmark, the storied French jeweler has recently landed in many malls around the country, reaching an ever-widening U.S. audience.

There are some surprises on the list, however. Even though it has just a few stores, Van Cleef & Arpels is the next jeweler in the rankings. Its high placement would seem to indicate that recent celebrity placements at events such as the Academy Awards have finally thrust it into the spotlight.

Bulova, at 14, is also a surprise, standing out in a crowd of much-higher-priced labels. An explanation is that outside the U.S., especially in South America, it is perceived as a prestige brand, which enhances its image among the the U.S.’s growing Hispanic community. Bulova has also been around since 1875, long before Cartier or any other European watchmaker had any significant presence here.

The appearance of newcomer Bedat & Co. (21) is another eye-opener. That the high-quality Swiss brand registers at all could be a result of its dedication to the American market and partnerships with high-profile retailers like Saks Fifth Avenue, as well as a blitz of recent editorial coverage in fashion publications.

The Rankings

1 Rolex

2 Tiffany & Co.

3 Cartier

4 Van Cleef & Arpels

5 Montblanc

6 Patek Philippe

7 Movado

8 Harry Winston

9 Piaget

10 Baume & Mercier

11 Tag Heuer

12 Bulgari

13 Mikimoto

14 Bulova

15 Boucheron

16 Barry Kieselstein- Cord

17 Ebel

18 David Yurman

19 Chopard

20 Fred Joaillier

21 Bedat & Co.

22 Fred Leighton

23 Girard-Perregaux

24 Asprey & Garrard

25 Audemars Piguet

26 Breguet

27 Vacheron Constantin

28 Concord

29 Henry Dunay

30 Buccellati

31 Lagos

32 Chaumet

33 Corum

34 Damiani

35 David Webb

36 IWC

37 Panerai

38 Honora

39 Robert Lee Morris

40 M&J Savitt

41 Roberto Coin