My personal experience tells me that the differences between the East and West are more complementary rather than contradictory.

FORBES: The Biggest Story of Our Time: The Rise of China's Middle Class

Lamb said gold jewelry is in a fascinating period and he concentrated on the differences in the East and West markets.

FORBES: Interview: Gold Jewelry Sparkles In Both East and West But With Cultural Differences--WGC Official

On top of that, there are persistent wide differences between pockets of poverty in the old East Germany and the booming South-West of Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg, 20 years after unification.

BBC: Angela Merkel's Germany pessimistic about future