Although I had already read your opening reasons, I'm just wondering if those are really enough? Apart from the first row offerings (which is sometimes available at OLCI anyway), the first class lounges at outstations (particularly at SYD and HKG) are nice but not "going out of my way" nice and there aren't that many First Class lounges anyway. Potentially more useful in North America to gain access to the Admirals Club though.

Do silvers get a choice of exit seats too? (It's irrelevant to me as I can't use them anyway).

I keep getting gold because work keep flying me on OW. I wouldn't miss it terribly if I dropped to silver. That said, when I dropped from silver to blue, I didn't miss it either, I just wasn't travelling enough.

You hit the nail on the head - the soft landing to silver. ^