Jagwire Barcon 2.0 -- Any experience?

I'm currently in the process of converting an old Raleigh Comp ('83) from friction to index shifting, and I've reached an impasse. Bar-end shifters will be the way to go, but I'm not particularly in love with the looks of most bar-end shifter arrangements (plus, I need either a 7-speed or 8-speed shifter for the rear cassette). I was thinking of getting a set of Jagwire Barcon 2.0 adapters, but here's my question: Are they meant for converting downtube shifters for use in a bar-end setup, or are they just for lightening current bar-end shifters by replacing the mounts with lighter-weight materials?

I'd love to use them, what with the gold and all..but I'd hate to find out they're useless to me. Anyone out there have any experience with them?