A gold pocket watch recovered from the wreck of the RMS Titanic has just sold at auction for a staggering £1.78 million. The sale catapults the object into the realm of the most valuable Titanic-related memorabilia ever sold.
The watch belonged to Isidor Straus, a New York businessman, co-owner of Macy’s department stores and first-class passenger. His life — and death — are deeply embedded in the Titanic’s legacy, especially because he refused to board a lifeboat unless his wife Ida could join him. She declined to leave without him. Their tragic love story has resonated ever since.
Crafted by the prestigious house Jules Jurgensen, the watch was a gift to Isidor for his 43rd birthday. After the disaster, it was recovered from his body, remarkably preserved despite the icy waters. It remained within the family for more than a century before being placed on the market.
When it arrived at Henry Aldridge & Son, a renowned specialist in Titanic memorabilia, the excitement was immediate. The watch quickly became not only the most expensive Titanic item ever sold but also one of the most symbolically powerful.
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of this story is how powerfully the Titanic still captivates the world. More than a hundred years after the sinking, recovered items continue to stir deep emotion. The Straus pocket watch is no exception: it embodies the final moments of a couple who chose to stay together until the end, a poignant symbol of loyalty and love amid tragedy.
Other notable pieces accompanied the sale, including a letter written by Ida Straus aboard the Titanic, itself sold for an impressive sum. Together, these objects recount the intimate, human side of a catastrophe that shaped collective memory.
With the total auction exceeding £3 million, Henry Aldridge & Son once again affirms its position as a leading authority in historic maritime artefacts. For enthusiasts and collectors, it is a place where every item feels like a doorway into the past.
And for Ireland — where maritime heritage is never far away — this story resonates with special intensity. The Titanic was built in Belfast, and each rediscovery or record-breaking sale echoes the island’s long-standing connection to the famed ship.
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