i agree that the lighting is good.. it's really soft and i think it adds a nice feel to the shot. I also agree that the focal point isn't clear. I might like the shot at a different angle rather than straight on but again the lighting really makes the shot imho.
I see the point of those who make criticisms (and I appreciate your comments). My idea here was symmetry, that I think goes along with most Art Deco themes. The original was quite large (10mb raw), so I might be able to play with it. Let me see.