Beyond $800 and certainly $1000 those guns suffer from diminishing returns.
I believe this applies to most high end 1911s (been discussed many times over).
Is a Wilson Combat 3x better than a $1000 Kimber, Colt or Springfield? (assume all work as intended)
Is bar stock parts instead of high quality MIM worth 3x more?
Is the finish worth 3x more than that of the mentioned companies?
Is a 2" guarantee worth 3x more than a $1000 1911 at 3"?
Yes, the name gives it value but what about real life use assuming, again, that all are reliable and accurate as intended.
Is the Les Baer worth the price of an entire gun more than a Dan Wesson or is the WC worth 2 guns more than the DW or 1 gun more than
a Les Baer?
Well, many thousands of buyers think that spending $1000 more or $2000 more is nothing when they get what they want.
So, to you, the Kimber may not be worth $1200 or $1500 but to the guy who wants one and buys one, it is worth it. Your reference of the guy
buying his Kimber for $1500 one day and was offered $1000 the next day for the same gun. I guess there is a point there but that is a very normal thing. Ever drive a $30,000 car off the lot and the next day realize it's not for you? Yeah, try losing $6000 for 1 day of driving a new car. It's called life.