I shared the same thougths as you about gold drops bonus but I have to admit that I have changed my mind on that. There are farming zones that can give a very interesting gold outcome compared to the AP spent there (and to character's level ofcourse) and boosting these areas even more seems an interesting idea.
What I do with my jewellery? I've got two sets. One mostly with strength and gold boost and one with life and vitality boosts. I tend to use the first one more, but the second one has helped out in some difficult situations... (Meatshield build plus 2 healers
)
EDIT: I forgot to mention that I am not a ranger but a fury warrior. Anyway, my point is that your attributes allocation should be based on your idea of your character's playstyle, the mercenaries you've got and the points you want them good at.