Oh that will whack your created wealth. 100z of magma-safe pumps? full of iron corkscrews right? We all love selling trap components, even now they got nerfed. Despite sucking for that purpose, a corkscrew is a trap comp and prices like it. Even if you are running green glass (you might be with those masters) its still a decent chunk of dorfbucks in (i think) architecture. Remember glass is a gem. You got some screenshots that might let you see how your wealth has changed? If it's spiked I'd guess you see some there.
Heh, I don't have iron yet, apart from some early goblinite and caravan imports, but yes, the pumps are from glass and could be responsible for growing wealth. I have two screenshots, one over year before:
...and one current:
The most expensive items I have made are 5 platinum statues I think. However, they are not installed yet (I might have to do that for newly elevated nobles) and they are only a small part of total wealth. Also the last caravan brought me some steel trap items, more expensive than the statues, but they were not available the moment liaison started meeting. I deliberately chose not to make platinum items and similar.
Said that, I used the current caravan to split 7 stacks of steel coins into 3500 single coins. But they are forbidden for now. When I melt them my fort will be rich and will attract more beasts. But it will take ten years to do so
My power wheels and drivetrain alone kicked me for almost 10k, watch those masterwork mechanisms XD
mine were marble to be magma-safe which didnt help (the axles are nethercap), the engineering deck and crawlspaces are usually flooded with magma since they breached the integrity of some of my defenses
What breached the defences?
I used gabbro for blocks and magma safe mechanisms - because it is cheap. But it didn't prevent wealth increase.
My previous fort (started in 40.04, upgraded to 40.05) skipped from baron (appointed by me + liaison) to duke as well, no count either.
I indeed suspect my magma pumps. Plus those masterwork large serrated steel discs I put in traps at the entrance.
I guess the wealth jump is large enough to just skip the count noble.
Perhaps some adjustments are in order, making a slightly larger gap between the different noble requirements.
I tried to prevent that, no steel, no iron, no traps, no statues, no decorations, no engraving or smoothing... But I think the requirements for noble positions are to small or too close each to another. In that one year between liaison visits it's easy to jump over these limits.