Thank you for a well-thought out and compelling defense of IWC. I especially liked your comparison to the independents, many who use an ETA or other third party manufactured ebauche to start with, and somehow avoid the flogging that IWC consistently gets for doing the same. In-house built doesn't necessarily mean any better in performance, as you've exampled by your own bench tests with various models that do boast (and I use this word quite deliberately) their own manufacture from start to finish.
You've also pointed out that a pricier brand with similar complications doesn't necessarily buy you any more quality, but certainly helps decrease the size of your wallet. I really enjoyed reading your post -- it was substantive and thought provoking.
Cheers,
m