To shamelessly rip off the tagline of the Original Jackass Leather Company, I suppose that some of us just "demand the best, and are able to tell the difference."
While I'm certainly no expert on the full spectrum of custom 1911s, I do put a premium on quality. As such, I'm willing to do the research, invest the time, learn the ropes, and foot the bill to get the best possible shooting iron.
Nowhere does this kind of approach offer a greater payoff than with the 1911. Not only is there a legitimate operational benefit (in terms of reliability, accuracy and durability), but a full-house custom offers intangible benefits as well -- most are true "works of art" in the purest sense.
I suppose a lot of us apply similar thinking (financial standing permitting) to the kind of watches we wear, the knives we choose to carry or the cars we drive. Some things are just worth the sacrifice -- if indeed such a thing could be called a sacrifice at all. As Terry Peters is fond of observing, "you do get what you pay for ... front end or [in] the back end."
Mine is the bank account of a career soldier, so it's unlikely that I'll ever own a new BMW 750i. I probably will never be able to justify the expense of an upscale Waterman fountain pen. I may even have trouble convincing the Mrs. that a Rolex will do the job better than my old Seiko ... but, given enough time, perseverance and desire, I can own my ideal sidearm. I can only speak for myself, but I suspect that most of us find ourselves in a similar situation.
Chuck