For the same money, Sonus Faber Stradivari Homage would be top of my list: http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/105sonus/

That being said, they cost 10x my own speakers (which coincidentally have the same drivers), but I can at least see where some of this money has gone towards. Absolutely exquisite, these speakers are a work of art. But as you both said, this is a very subjective purchase (in both sound and aesthetics).

cheers,
elapsed