How to buy a good dress belt

Hi. I've lost a little weight and am in need of a good black dress leather belt. I've Googled for more than I care to and have browsed a few men's fashion forums, but I can't find anything that tells me how to tell if a simply designed leather belt is good quality.

Can anyone point me to such a resource?

For background, I'm from Manila, and the best belts here are supposedly from Bally and Lacoste, which are hitting the $160 to $200 price range. These are the one-inch wide ones with some smooth, shiny finish on the leather. (And, are those fashion house products $500 and beyond any better than the already expensive labels?)

What annoys me is that even designer labels here like Ralph Lauren have belts made in China, and the leather has felt like it's going to crumble or something.

My current dress belt is a Nautica that I picked up in a California overstock store for $12, and I'm trying to compare the texture and look of the leather to these expensive belts. How do I tell if it's that much different?

As an aside, do leather belts without that smooth finish normally warp if you have a bit of a belly? My other leather belts have warped a bit. I keep them hanging from hooks on my closet doors and away from moisture and sunlight, and I want to keep the leather from looking all worn as much as possible (looks good on jeans, but probably not on belts).