My wife and I have been married 43 years.  Years ago, I gave her the first Lladro figurine that she owns.  It is a figurine of 3 little boys and is beautiful.  She has several that are a lot more elaborate but they weren't first.

Several years ago, we took a trip to Italy with my son and his wife.  We were staying in a Hilton Hotel on one of the 7 hills of Rome.  Walking through the lobby, we passed a jewelry shop that had a Lladro in the window,  It was very elaborate as are many of the lladro figurines.  We went in the store and asked the price.  It was $599 American.  We bought it and had it shipped back.  Weheld outr breath as we unwrapped it but it made the trip unscathed.  We later looked it up in the L:ladro catalog.  It is retired and when available, retails for just under $1000.

For us, it serves two purposes, one of which is to help beautify our home.  The second purpose is to remind us of a once in a lifetime trip.  We were to visit Venice, Florence, Rome and Pompeii.  To be able to reach out amd touch Micaelangelo's statue of David in Florence was indescribable.  And I think of that everytime I see the Lladro from Rome.