Before NC , there were pantograph inlays and also skilled people making the inlays by hand tools and templates.
Now days, many people like the symmetry, repeatability of CNC produced inlays etc. Now with cell phones and
the very high resolution cameras, errors of 1/2 thousandths of an inch can be seen as if it is a flaw in the workmanship.
I like the old ways and the old skills in a cue handle, rather than the mass produced stuff. There certainly is skill in using cnc
to make some inlays and setting it all up etc, especially for a one off design, but eventually you get to a place where it all
depends on the customer and what they like at the time. Most people just want the look and the finished product, with very
little knowledge of how it was even made or designed.