Bob,
Not sure what to think of your wife's recent pronouncement (just a wee bit irrational- maybe you should suggest she never cut or color her hair....that has been known to greatly upset some men, you know) but if you go back to your original plan, which was to buy a watch, wear it for a year or so, then trade it for something else, I might make a few suggestions.
It's going to be a little tougher to retain value with something like a Zenith. To get the most satisfaction (bang for the buck, if you will) out of owning such a watch, you may want to consider wearing it every day. The watches you selected above are a lot less robust than what you were looking at in the past. You might want to consider a watch that is the size you have found to be appealing, a little more rugged and perhaps less costly, in which case the depreciation will be less of an issue.
For example, Omega makes something called a Seamaster Aqua Terra (see below.) It uses a new movement design which is somewhat interesting, offers a little more waterproofing, comes in a couple different case sizes and dial colors. It's fairly inexpensive and, like the Zenith, can be had for a lot less money than the retail price, with a little work. I'm sure car salesmen give it a pass, so your wife should have no objections. There are other watches I might suggest but I can recommend something more fun for you.
There are some publications available in most decent bookstores that are annual compilations of many of the offerings of most of the major watch brands available in the US. You might consider buying a couple of these and doing a little reading to see what floats your boat. Then, maybe a trip to the stores to see them in person.
Happy hunting,
JR
PS. An Omega photo:
