My grandfather used to say "it's too cheap, we can't afford it".

My father used to say: "We're not rich enough to buy cheap things."

TANSTAAFL - from Heinlein

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There_ain%27t_no_such_thing_as...

The article is really not very much about the concept of a "free lunch" as more of a concept of how these pseudo-watch brands are laying bare the absurdity inherent in all fashion and branding.