I think that it's a very good idea, to be able to make even a small progress everyday. For example, if we lower gems two grades down, normal gems become new chipped and perfect gems became new normal, we can make some hard to make recipes for flawless and perfect gems, something like 3 gems + 5AC + 50 sigs of learning.
Gems, gold, low-runes, even signets of learning after a while are just nothing. They can be made valuable, as reagents for small, progressively costing upgrades. Something like "cube crafted item with 2 perfect amethysts and signets to add 2 dex. Next upgrade will cost 4 gems, then 8, 16 ...".
Also, there are some Ubers which people do not like much. Yshari Sanctum, Triune, Gaya, some bosses in Silver City for example-- they are not popular at all, compared to Fauzt or Duncraig. They for sure need some rework. Maybe indded, we need "heroic" versions of those Ubers to make 130+ something more than Fauzt/Scos/Labs.