IWC shipped this watch to a dealer in Tahiti in time for Christmas, 1967.
Frederick Hufnagel arrived in Tahiti on holiday in time to receive it as a gift from his wife, complete with the engraving of his name "F. Hufnagel" on the case back.
A few years later, after the marriage fell apart, the watch was tendered as trade on an engagement ring for another woman.
This other woman 's ex-husband ironically ended up with the watch 3-years later, acquired from a collector of coins and rare firearms.
Figuring out that this must be the "F. Hufnagel" who stole his wife, he gave the watch away to a nephew. Some years later, the nephew's son sold it to the man who supposedly sold it to me.
Throughout this entire journey, the watch fared much better than most everyone else involved, still looking as though it just left Schaffhausen.
Sometimes a watch marks the passing of time, and sometimes, I suppose, it marks time not worth passing.
At any rate, one can only wonder about a third-hand story .
Merry Christmas!
TR
