I think the appeal of these lights is the incredible detail they have achieved over the years. If they go back to no metal work, and less detail, they would become another Danbury Mint, or worse. You can't go back to the stone axe after having a chain saw. The lights were fine BEFORE they learned to do the ironwork because they were still the finest that could be done at the time. They were cutting edge, and faithful to the light they represented.
I don't think there is a long-term cure for what ails HL. It is the same thing that ails the entire world economy.