Get rid of the shady authorized dealers...they are killing the goodwill that Rolex has spent decades building.

Without watch reviews, all we'd have are slick marketing campaigns to tell us the best and worst of the watches on which we spend our hard-earned money.  However, I sometimes wonder if popular watch reviewers are in the pocket of watch makers.  I especially distrust feedback from anybody who gives glowing reviews of every watch listed on their website.  

Since your wife is just getting her feet wet, how about a starter watch?  I gave a female friend a rose gold G-Shock a few years back and she loved it.  This gave her a chance to realize she liked watches and she took her time to research her first luxury watch, which was a Cartier Tank.  Diving into an expensive watch that she may not like is risky.  

When a luxury brand does it this way, is it acceptable?  Or should the brand be preserved at any cost?

Rolex pulled it off quite nicely with Tudor.