Oh, "geniuses." I see. My mistake! :lol: :lol!:
Anything that isn't an obvious dark stain or paint I consider "natural." Even putting carnauba wax on the outside causes a serious shift in grain, contrast and coloration, so the term is a bit... erm... inaccurate. Briar is the whole reason why pipes became interesting to me. I love the warmth, look and complexity of wood grain, and good pipes are just little pieces of comfortable furniture for the mouth. So cheers to you genii who let the briar speak for itself, with minimal enhancements.
In that regard, as Yak says, "...pipes are female."
They don't need much to show off their beauty (most of the time)...and scrutinize those that are caked in too much makeup. :lol: Sometimes, though, a little color is good.
8)