Here's the thing - for my money, the best-looking versions in a number of sets tend to come around 3-4*. As a tiny aid to customisation, why not allow the production of purely cosmetic versions of any item you have the recipe for, at a significantly reduced cost (say, the equivalent of a 2* item)? No stats, no defensive attributes whatsoever; just a way to allow someone with, for example, a Mad Bomber Helm to maintain the appearance of a Heavy Demo Helm without having to rinse ¢16500 and 650En on a purely cosmetic change.

Of course, anything that keeps people dungeon-crawling and buying CE will benefit Three Rings, and (as I've said myself many times) suggestions that undermine that seem unlikely to be implemented, but still, I thought I'd throw that out there.