Titanic Watch Fetches World Record Price
A historic gold pocket watch that belonged to a first-class passenger who perished on the RMS Titanic has been sold at auction for an astonishing £1.78 million. This sum sets a new world record for any item of Titanic memorabilia, underscoring the enduring global fascination with the 1912 maritime disaster.
The Story Behind the Watch
The timepiece was the personal property of Isidor Straus, a 67-year-old businessman renowned for being a partner in the iconic New York department store, Macy's. The elegant 18-carat gold watch, made by Jules Jurgensen, was originally a gift to Straus on his 43rd birthday in 1888. It was later recovered from the wreckage and returned to his family.
Straus and his wife, Ida, were among the more than 1,500 people who lost their lives when the Titanic sank. Their story is one of the most poignant from the tragedy. As the ship foundered, the elderly couple were offered seats on a lifeboat due to their age. However, Isidor refused to board before other men, and Ida famously chose to remain by his side. They were last seen alive together on deck chairs, facing their fate as a united pair.
Auction House Sells Titanic History
The sale was conducted by the auctioneers Henry Aldridge & Son in Devizes, Wiltshire. The watch was the star lot in a dedicated auction of Titanic artefacts, which collectively raised a total of £3 million.
Other notable items sold included:
- A letter written by Ida Straus on Titanic stationery, which sold for £100,000.
- A Titanic passenger list that fetched £104,000.
- A gold medal awarded to the crew of the rescue ship RMS Carpathia, which went for £86,000.
This sale surpasses the previous record for a Titanic-related item, set just last year when a gold watch belonging to the captain of the rescue ship Carpathia sold for £1.56 million.
An Enduring Legacy of Love and Loss
Andrew Aldridge, the auctioneer, commented on the profound resonance of the Strauses' story. He stated that the world record price is a "testament to the respect that they are held in", describing them as "the ultimate love story". The couple's devotion was immortalised in James Cameron's 1997 blockbuster film, "Titanic", where they were depicted in a final, loving embrace in their stateroom.
Born in Otterberg, Bavaria, in 1845 into a Jewish family, Isidor Straus emigrated to the United States as a child. His rise to prominence as a retail magnate and his tragic end alongside his beloved wife continue to capture the public's imagination over a century later, their narrative told through the powerful legacy of objects like this gold pocket watch.
