[Tuco Ramirez]

New to the forum, but have been reading several of the postings -- not found the answer to this question.

My wife (who is 59 years old) is a professional and has two masters degrees. But, she is also very down to earth and likes to garden. And, in addition to finer things, on occasion, she likes go out to a dive bar or greasy spoon restaurant, too.

I want to surprise her with a Rolex for the holidays. I showed her an ad from the New York Times Magazine a few months back, showing a ladies watch in stainless steel, jubilee band, diamond bezel and silver face with diamonds for numbers. She thought it was very nice. From the ad, I could not tell if it was the midsize 31 mm, or the ladies 26 mm. I just assumed it was the 26mm.

I was prepared to order it, but then I stopped by a local shop and looked at them. The sales person told me that the 31 mm was a much more popular item. She said that most women were going for the bigger watch, and that only the older ladies were opting for what must have been the traditional size -- 26 mm.

I then went home and just sort of nonchalantly brought up the subject of bigger watches for women and asked my wife whether women were wearing bigger watches these days, and she said, yes, some were, and it was sort of the style.

My wife is 5'7" and she is blonde (if that matters, eh?). Over the last few years she has become more curvy -- not so slim anymore. Her current watch is a Tag Heuer -- guessing about 26 mm -- stainless steel -- no diamonds or such. She has given all of her yellow gold jewelry to the daughters over the last few years -- and she has been into white gold, platinum and silver jewelry (the David Yurman sort of stuff) for the last few years. Her wedding ring is platinum.

I am really inclined to get her the Rolex 179160, stainless steel, jubilee band, with silver face and diamond numbers, with diamond bezel. But, I would like to know folks thoughts.

Is the 31 mm generally more desirable and preferred these days? If I get this one, I probably will not be able to also get the diamond bezel. So, it would be just be the midsize (31 mm) with the same stainless jubilee band and the diamonds for numbers on the face. If this is the more preferred style, do the ladies think the black face or the silver face is preferred?

Asking her to go to the jewelry store and pick it out is not an option for me -- just my thing that I have to surprise her.

Thanks