. . . on TimeZone about fifteen years ago when it was owned by Phil Cooper [log-in: Hockey]. This is his photo snapped approximately 2005:

I was immediately drawn to it. There's an ineffable quality to Black Connie that captured my heart.
A few years later, Phil posted a WTB for a Mk II. I owned one . . .

. . . and offered to trade it for Black Connie. We discussed the matter over the phone, and agreed they were roughly comparable in value. It seemed he was amenable at first but then backtracked, saying in effect that while they were on par in terms of market value, his chances of finding another Connie similarly outfitted were nil, while Mk IIs were as plentiful then as they are now.
A year later, Bill Sohne posted Black Connie on this very forum, having made a deal with Phil for the object of my dreams. I asked Bill if he would let her go, and he agreed. Paid a princely sum for her, and never looked back. Every time the subject comes up, Bill reminds me the reason he let her go is that he's color-blind, and consequently can't make out the rose gold dial script against the black engraved dial.
How lucky can a guy get?
;-)