Is Rarity very wealthy?

[User07832407840 177]

Not sure if this has been mentioned or not already, but...
Has anyone considered that there is a difference between how much Rarity "makes," through her business and fashion designing, and how wealthy she is? 
That difference: she has a special talent for finding gems with her magic. The episode "Diamond Dogs" shows how Rarity is basically capable of gaining unlimited wealth. No wonder she's so generous; money is practically valueless to her since she could have as much of it as she wants (ASSUMING that gemstones can be sold for money in the pony world. I'm not sure if this has been confirmed in the show, though; it could be that gemstones are rare and used in fashion but can't be bought or sold easily. That wouldn't make any sense in our own world, but hey, they aren't living in our world).
Still, there are others who, with Rarity's gift of finding gemstones, would hoard as many as they could and give none away except to those willing to pay enough. Rarity doesn't do this, which is really impressive and kind of inspirational.

In terms of what she makes from her business, it's probably a lot less than what she could be making if she was greedy. She's an amazing dress maker and could probably charge a very large sum of money for her wares. However, knowing Rarity and her generosity, she probably sells them for a lot cheaper than she could, and I wouldn't be surprised if she gave out dresses for free on special occasions or to special people, like the dresses she made for her friends for the Grand Galloping Gala. So her profits are probably less than you'd expect due to her generosity. 

[Jeric 46,836]

@Cork Top, I briefly eluded to her minecraft wealth in my first post. That talent and gem spell adds an interesting twist to her wealth capabilities. To me, I believe that Rarity uses it for fashion primarily, and maybe for Spike, but since she has used it as currency in Rarity Takes Manehattan it makes the whole wealth question a VERY interesting one. If you believe in the predestination theory it would make sense that the Tree of Harmony would select Rarity as the Element of Generosity based on both her talent and her natural charity as was already suggested.

 

This of course assumes that the gem spell can only be performed by Rarity and unicorns who are highly skilled at magic (Twilight). Either way, Rarity can easily be the wealthiest Pony in Equestria if her focus wasn't on fashion.  

[Zygen 6,065]

Let's do us some equestrian business math:

 

Let's assume an apple is 1 bit, as advertised by Applejack.

 

Apple = 1bit

 

However, as we have seen from current cannon technology, they may not have the ability to preserve the apples during the winter months. So let's assume they have canned apples; fruit canning (jarring) would definitely be inline with the show. This process is a bit more labor intensive, however, as expressed in 'Putting Your Hoof Down', 1 bit for a cherry is fine, but 2 bits 'is a ripoff,' or something to that extent.

 

Let's break the bit down into pieces of eight. So 8 eighths equal one bit.

 

The canning process would probably not be that labor intensive or as expensive, as actually growing and harvesting the thing. So a jar of apples, (a quart jar would hold 3) would cost say:

 

1qt Canned Apples = 3bits and 4 eighths.

 

We are going to assume each month has 24 days, as expressed by a rogue calendar in the show, however, as you will see, the rest of our measurements will be relative. Based on Apple-Math we can assume quite a few things. Since I can quantify how much canned apples would cost in a post-industrial/pre-modern world, relative to our inflation, but with less progress in the international labor department. EG: Steampunk World

 

Our World 2014 [less international labor] Canned Apples [in a Jar] 1qt = $4.85

 

Thus:

 

3.5 / 4.85 = ~.72

So 1bit = $1.38

 

We are going to be running a parallel timeline, where things are a hair bit more expensive due to non-existent slave labor (akin to what we have today) and so we get our new unit. I am going to also assume, that the bills I am basing everything from are a rural area. Ponyville is not a metropolis, but neither is it a small town (as relative to other cities). I am going to say, everything is... about 18% more expensive in this fictional world.

 

Running Water (As Seen on Sister Hooves Social) / Sewer

Our World: $78 / Month

Our Fictional World: $92.04 / Month

Poneyville Conversion: ~66bits (72% conversion rate)

 

Electricity NaN

 

House Payment (You Don't Want Me to Explain this One)

Our World: ~$580 / Month

Our Fictional World: $684.40 / Month

Poneyville Conversion: ~492bits (72% conversion rate)

 

Food (A Pony Has to Eat)

Our World: ~$230 / Month

Our Fictional World: $271.40 / Month

Poneyville Conversion: ~195bits (72% conversion rate)

 

Travel (Assuming Regular Train Travel 4 Times / Moth + Carriage)

Our World: ~$80 / Month

Our Fictional World: $94.4 / Month

Poneyville Conversion: ~68bits  (72% conversion rate)

 

Insurance (Dragons, Hydras, Unicorns, Yeah, They have insurance.)

Our World: ~$34 / Month [basic]

Our Fictional World: $40.12 / Month

Poneyville Conversion: ~28bits (72% conversion rate)

 

Buffer (Always Have a Buffer)

Our World: ~$50 / Month

Our Fictional World: $59 / Month

Poneyville Conversion: ~42bits (72% conversion rate)

 

Negative Carry (Assuming High End Change of Eighths)

Poneyville Conversion: -6bits

 

Total Bits: 891bits

Minus Buffer: 885bits

 

Ok, so we have the basic utility living down. I assume she is a bit pincher, and only left a 50 bit budget to cover entertainment and such. Let us assume all of her advertisement is WOM (word of mouth). We will also assume that she doesn't make her own fabric, but buys that fabric produced in a mill somewhere. This total calculation may be very off, but this is based upon consumer pricing of current fabric, materials, ect. We will only be covering depleting resources, and not those things which may be paid off. EG: Shaping Forms.

 

Before we can calculate her production cost though, we need to determine her production rate:

 

Let's assume Equestrian days are just a hair longer than ours. Calculating just how much is not necessary. In the episode Art of the Dress, Rarity fabricates several dresses at the same time, proving she is a great creative multi tasker. The average length of time, from conception to completion on a dress as complicated as those, would be roughly one week per, however, Rarity proves her obsession by often working late into the nights and while traveling (as seen in A Canterlot Wedding). I am going to use the 'magic' card here, and say 3 days per dress.

 

Roughing the average cost of dress is difficult, as Rarity proves she has a very broad taste.

 

Bolt of Cloth (Higher End Fabric)

Our World: ~$52

Our Fictional World: ~$62

Poneyville Conversion: ~45bits (72% conversion rate)

 

Sewing Supplies / Loom Wear&Tear /ect (Higher End Fabric)

Our World: ~$4.50

Our Fictional World: $5.31

Poneyville Conversion: ~3bits 2 eighths (72% conversion rate)

 

Drafting Supplies

Our World: ~3.50

Our Fictional World: ~$4.13

 

Poneyville Conversion: ~2bits 7 eighths (72% conversion rate)

 

Error Buffer (This Can't Be to High)

Our World: ~$6.00

Our Fictional World: ~$7.00

Poneyville Conversion: ~5bits (72% conversion rate)

 

Total Bits: ~56bits

 

We also need to calculate a few other factors in. Let's assume she works non-stop, and takes 3 days off in her 24 day month. So 7 dresses per month.

 

Total Bits: ~392bits

 

Now, let's take our cost calculations and add them together:

 

Dress Cost Total Bits: ~392bits

Living Cost Total Bits: ~885bits

 

Cost Total Bits: 1277bits

 

Her Cost Per Dress: 182bits 4 eighths

 

We're not done yet! That is her raw cost, she can NOT go below that, or she is loosing money. We also need to add another dress in there to cover the cost of her making a dress for herself every now and again. That means one dress NOT for sale, and one dress cost for herself. Let's assume she turns around and sells her old wardrobe later at cost. So we will only calculate one lost dress (for her time to make herself a dress). She will create herself one dress per month.

 

The Cost of Fashion: 91bits 2 eighths

Divided by Seven Dresses [Loss Per Dress]: 13bits

 

New Total Cost Her Side Per Dress: 195bits and 4 eighths

 

Again, she MUST make this new total to cover her losses and live. Since I included her living expenses in this, I am going to assume minimal markup. Taxes must be calculated though, and she will owe taxes. No economy can survive without them. Now, our rough total tax in the United States in a similar area is ~23% total. There are writeoffs and such, but remember, Equestria probably doesn't have the war-machine that the United States does. So we are going to assume a flat sales tax on goods in Equestria. Lt's assume one piece of eight per every bit. That is flat sales tax of 12.5% rounded down. Equestrians do not pay any other taxes.

 

Cost Her Side Per Dress: 195bits 4 eighths

Customer Cost After 12.5% Flat Tax: ~220bits

 

Ignore this for a moment. Let's assume she wants to expand someday. She needs a markup to gather savings. Let's assume she does half of the tax rate, a very modest (and lady-like) 6%.

 

Cost Her Side Per Dress: 195bits 4 eighths

Customer Cost After Markup: 207bits 2 eighths

Customer Cost After 12.5% Flat Tax: ~233bits and 1 eighths

 

Each dress will fluctuate based upon style and manner, but this is a solid base cost.

 

Let's assume there are 4 cycles, and each cycle consist of 3 months, for a 12 months cycle. (A fancy way of saying 12 months in a year.) Also, assuming she sells every dress - in real business you wouldn't, but you might sell dresses from last year:

 

Gross / Month: 1631bits 7 eighths

Net / Month [Take Away Taxes]: 1450bits 6 eighths

 

Net / Year: 17409bits 

Holy math post butler! ;p

 

I don't really feel like doing the math, especially since others seem to have done it better than I could so yeah.

 

I can't say that she seems super rich frankly, she seems to be stable, and a bit over I think, but I don't know if i'd say she's rich, especially since all her gems which I assume are valuable are purely decorative and it's not like she sells them directly. Or buys them, she just finds them.

 

But I don't have the willpower to do the fancy maths for this, and probably not the knowledge.

[Jeric 46,836]

@Zygen, tell me about it. That has to be one of the most insane (but cool) posts I've seen about economics in Equestria. Someone please don't let butler get a job for the IRS.

 

Can you imagine the audit visit? Might as well just write a check then and there.

[User07832407840 177]

she has used it as currency in Rarity Takes Manehattan it makes the whole wealth question a VERY interesting one.

I forgot about that! So it is proven, gemstones are of value. Dang... Rarity could be rolling in the dough (if she wanted to)!

 

 

This of course assumes that the gem spell can only be performed by Rarity and unicorns who are highly skilled at magic (Twilight). Either way, Rarity can easily be the wealthiest Pony in Equestria if her focus wasn't on fashion.  

I do think that that is the case, that only those who's special talent is gem-finding or magic, like Rarity or Twilight, can do the gem finding spells. To divert from the topic slightly, couldn't Twilight also easily become the richest pony in Equestria, even more so than Rarity, since there's even more ways for her to generate money apart from finding gems (I mean, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if that unicorn could just look at a thing and turn it into a gem!)?

 

But yeah, it's kind of funny that though Rarity has the special talent she has, she uses it almost exclusively for fashion. Shows a lot about the kind of pony she is.

 

[Celli 4,334]

They don't show it, but she probably makes a ton. She's probably moderately rich.

[PittyPaws 118]

There does seem to be a high possability that Rarity maybe more financially secure the many ponies outside celebrities like 

Saphire Shores and of course the royalty, but I think that is because of her ability to find gems as discovered in "Dog and Pony Show" 

as well as the fact that such gems are often used for money as seen in "Sidekicks". 

Now this is what maybe a subtle hint at Rarity's generosity theme in that when she adorns garments with gems she is literally giving 

other ponies free money rather than saving the gems for herself as they do seem to have monitary value. 

[Vemillia Nightshade 2,247]

Well... The matter of Rarity being wealthy is a matter of opinion really. Considering that she does seek a life of wealth in Canterlot, I personally say she is wealthy in more than one way.

[Nulln 754]

I'd say she's pretty well off, not RICH though, or I'd imagine she'd live in Canterlot.  She could be pretty rich if she sold all the gems she finds, I bet.  She likes to use them for her fashion line though, and probably doesn't make them too expensive since her materials are pretty easy to come by for her.  She does design for a lot of famous ponies, so she is probably paid a lot for those.  

[Jeric 46,836]

Considering that she does seek a life of wealth in Canterlot

 

 

That's an interesting take. I always approached her desire to hob nob and be apart of a glamorous life more of a social dysphoria than a desire for wealth. Kinda like the character in the spoiler code.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Vemillia Nightshade 2,247]

@Scumcandy: That is true. Though some of the gems end up in Spikes stomach if Rarity doesn't watch him carefully. Her gems would probably sell for a pretty bit or two.

Edited August 4, 2014 by Sadist the Wanderer

[sweetolebob18 724]

It's hard to say.  Clothes are very much a luxury item in EQ, so being a fashionista is probably either really rich or just getting by.  Plus, she is a gem hunter (though gems don't seem as valuable in EQ)

 

Apple Jack is also very hard to quantify.  In the USA most family farms are small businesses & have their problems but she seems to have a fairly large orchard (Apple Buck Season)

 

It also depends on "What do you call rich?"  A 19th century industrialist named "Commodore" Vanerbuilt (because he owned so many ships) once said "America is a wonderful country.  A millionaire can live as well as if he was rich"  Rarity is plausibly what an ordinary person would call rich, but a really rich person would not

[碇 シンジン 27,427]

Rarity bought her second boutique this season those things dont come cheap and she placed it in canterlot afterall =)=)=)<3