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I can relate. My MIlL got a gold ladies’ President DJ from my FIL in 1979 as a gift. It too has the champagne dial and gold baton hands, and back then the ladies’ Rolexes were 26mm; so, it’s a beautiful classic watch that’s hard to read.
The bracelet was stretched so badly that it couldn’t be worn. Rolex wanted to charge her $10k for a new gold one.
The watch was basically too small to read and too expensive to repair for her, but she didn’t want to part with it (and nor did we).
My husband and I decided to pay to have the bracelet repaired by re-pinning. Then we had her go to a reputable dealer and see what they would pay her for the watch. We then bought it from her for what she would sell it for (because I’m not her only daughter in law, and a watch isn’t worth a family fight). She did not want another Rolex (as she got older she felt uncomfortable wearing an expensive watch) so she wears a new watch that’s much bigger and more legible. I give her the watch to wear on special occasions, which she enjoys. She’s very glad it stayed in the family.
I suggest another DateJust for your wife, larger (31 or 34 mm) perhaps with a white dial for legibility. Try to get your wife’s watch bracelet re-pinned and serviced so she can wear it on special occasions If you have children or grandchildren definitely keep your wife’s watch.
Women do get sentimental about jewelry, to the point where some even go into nursing homes wearing their wedding rings (which, shamefully, get stolen sometimes).
Women’s TT Datejusts are the only thing in my AD’s cases right now!
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