(Kari in particular) for putting their watches where their mouths are - they have put up their best movements/pieces for the competition. That shows nerve and confidence and I wish them well.
Other firms (particularly in my book, Patek - especially, AP, VC, GP, Lange) as major brands who pride themselves on their past exploits and/or current COSC certificates should put their best foot forward and enter the fray. To sit of the sidelines only raises suspicisions on my part that the much vaulted statements on superiority of R&D and timekeeping, might be of the sound bite variety.
Andrew H