Pop-Up faucet leaking at the control not drain

It has me stumped. It is a very expensive faucet (I am told $600 at least) but i didn't install it and it is 20 years old. Three holes. The spout has a nice curve to it and all is brass and gleams. Under the spout, in front, is the control for the pop-up. Up closes off the drain. Down and it is open, obviously. BUT water splashing goes into the area around the gleaming opening and down the rod onto whatever is below. it is worse when the sink is full of water and the control is up. When down there is still a sizeable area around the control top where water get splashed and goes down the rod. I can't think of any way to constrict flow down the rod. A "O" ring would maybe do it if one decided to never pull the control up. As soon as you pull up the control the "O" ring would slip down and no longer be useful.
The control is 1/2" above the vanity top built in the spout. I have tried to find the manufacturer but other than a suggestion it might be Newport Brass discontinued I just don't know. Any ideas?

Post a picture, it might help understanding the problem.

Will do.
it will be tomorrow but i will do it.
Thanks for suggestion.

I just attached two files so you can see where the leak occurs.
it is around the pop-up control lever. None shows it up and one down

My guess is that mineral deposits is disrupting the flow out of the spout, causing it to get in that area...but, without being there it's only a guess.

If it is actually leaking around the spout, resetting it with some plumber's putty underneath should reslove it.

It is leaking around the pop-up when water splashes near the control top (of the rod). Plumber's putty wouldn't work in a moving environment. That is why i am stumped.

Sometimes people pay a lot of money for poorly designed fixtures...
Beats me how to stop it.

leak

If it is water splashing into the opening, then there is no cure other than to be more careful with the water. Sometimes that brand of faucet will get a crack in the spout feed and then water leaks out of the rod opening on the bottom, but that would leak anytime the faucet was turned on, not just occassionally.

Looks like all are stumped.
There are two faucets. The female's isn't an issue. She isn't messy?
The other one is. He is messy?
I think the difference is that the designer used a wash cloth to wash the face while they should have tried it with splashing water on their face like normal people.
thanks all.