Thanks guys for the feedback.
I know the gold center band is kinda of thick to you guys living on the other side of the pond. In my country, many Asian especially the older generation love and treasured gold ingots jewelry etc.... The Indian ladies and some of the local mafia love to wear thick rope of gold chain. I guess its one man's meat another man's poison!
As for the wood, I got it on the ebay via biding not knowing what in store for me. Now that I seen the beautiful of this burl I will now treasured the balance 4 pieces of blanks!