I custom ordered a DW Collectors snare a couple years ago. I had the choice of VLT, X, and regular cross-laminated. The standard cross laminated was 10+6 (10 ply shell with 6 ply rerings). I ordered mine as just a 10 because I don't care for rerings (they were offering a 6-ply too, and probably still do). The reason I didn't do one of the other grain orientations was because of a video on the DW website where John Good was going through some raw shells of different types (reg, reg w/o rering, VLT, X). As he went down the line, thumping each shell with his fist, the fundamental of each shell got lower and lower. First, because the rerings were removed, and then later as tension was taken off the shell (which is the effect of using more vertical plies and plies at 45s). It's funny because I was listening on crappy computer speakers that couldn't reproduce the lower tones so I thought, "Well, if I can't hear them here, then perhaps that shell isn't projecting well enough and maybe I don't want to take that tension out of the shell."
So that's how I decided on my shell. They were offering shell depths in 1" increments so I chose the 6x14. I also got the tube lug option because I preferred it to the DW turret lug.
I also didn't want a wrap because I'm paranoid that covering the shell in thick plastic will inhibit its vibration. Ditto for a thick poly-lacquer, so I just did a black stain with a satin finish.
That's pretty much it. It took about 4 months to get it.
If I had to do it again, I'd seriously consider the steam-bent single-ply. Truth be told, I wasn't crazy about the sound of the Collectors. It was quite a let-down. I tried all kinds of heads and tunings but just could never get it to really "wake up" and it sounded boxy. So I sold it.
On your other questions: I don't have any experience with the newer lines like the Jazz or the classics. Also, I don't think you'll hear too much difference between 6.5" and 7" depths, but I'd go shallower. My next wood snare will probably be a 5" or 5.5".
Good luck.