SD,
Strength does favor the grain variations in a laminate since the grain, while generally parallel, is still going to run at varied biases in adjoining sheets - assuming the laminates aren't sliced from a flitch and layered in order. You are probably correct about the juvenile wood detail though since most wood used in gunstock laminates is probably rotary sliced and doesn't include the center of the log.
As for what is beautiful, that is so very subjective in nature as to be impossible to define. Certainly, in my view anyway, some expensive and beautiful solid stock blanks become so gaudy in their finished form as to be ugly, though they may exhibit high levels of technical craftsmanship. And some people even rave about resin and cloth stocks which aren't even remotely attractive to my eye. So we all have to decide and live with those choices - if we care.
