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Titanic passenger's gold pocket watch fetches record £1.78m at auction
A gold pocket watch recovered from the body of Isidor Straus, one of the wealthiest passengers aboard the Titanic, sold for a record-breaking £1.78 million at an auction in Wiltshire on Saturday. The timepiece, an 18-carat Jules Jurgensen model, stopped at 02:20-the exact moment the ship vanished beneath the Atlantic on 14 April 1912.
The Strauses: A tragic love story
Isidor Straus, a Bavaria-born American businessman and co-owner of Macy's department store, perished alongside his wife, Ida, when the Titanic struck an iceberg during its voyage from Southampton to New York. Reports from the era suggest Ida refused a lifeboat seat, declaring she would not abandon her husband of 41 years. While Isidor's body was later recovered, Ida's was never found.
The watch, believed to be a 43rd birthday gift from Ida in 1888, bears Straus's initials and remained in the family for over a century. It was restored by Kenneth Hollister Straus, Isidor's great-grandson, before the sale.
Auction highlights enduring fascination with the Titanic
The sale at Henry Aldridge and Son Auctioneers in Devizes included other high-value items: a letter written by Ida Straus on Titanic stationery sold for £100,000, a passenger list fetched £104,000, and a gold medal awarded to the crew of the rescue ship RMS Carpathia reached £86,000. The total auction revenue exceeded £3 million.
"The world record price for this watch reflects the timeless allure of the Titanic narrative. Every passenger and crew member had a story, and these artifacts keep their legacies alive 113 years later," said auctioneer Andrew Aldridge.
Andrew Aldridge, Henry Aldridge and Son Auctioneers
The previous record for Titanic-related memorabilia-a gold watch given to the Carpathia's captain-stood at £1.56 million, set in 2023.
Historical context: The watch's journey
After Isidor Straus's body was recovered, the watch was returned to his family. It remained a private heirloom until its restoration and eventual auction. The timepiece's halted mechanism at 02:20 serves as a poignant reminder of the disaster's final moments.
Aldridge emphasized the Strauses' story as "the ultimate love story," with Ida's refusal to leave her husband symbolizing their devotion. The auction's success, he noted, underscores the public's respect for their memory.
