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Gold Watch From The Titanic Hits Record Of US$ 2.33 Million At Auction And Rekindles The Tragic And Moving Story Of The Straus Couple, Symbol Of Love And Courage On The Night Of The Shipwreck
A gold pocket watch that belonged to one of the richest passengers on the Titanic fetched a “record price” of US$ 2.33 million during a recent auction. The piece was retrieved from the body of Isidor Straus, one of the most influential travelers on the transatlantic ship, whose sinking left more than 1,500 dead after colliding with an iceberg on April 14, 1912, while en route from Southampton, England, to New York.
Straus’ body was found days after the tragedy and, among his belongings, was a Jules Jurgensen watch in 18-carat gold. The relic, which remained preserved by the family for generations, was auctioned off this Saturday by Henry Aldridge and Son, in Devizes, Wiltshire, in the west of England.
Straus, born in Bavaria and an American citizen, was a businessman, politician, and co-owner of Macy’s department stores in New York. According to reports, his wife, Ida, refused a spot in the lifeboats on the night of the disaster because she did not want to be separated from her husband, and she reportedly declared that she would rather die alongside him. Ida’s body was never found.
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At the same auction, a letter written by Ida Straus on Titanic letterhead and sent while traveling on the luxurious ship built in Belfast reached the equivalent of US$ 130,000. In total, Titanic-related items totaled US$ 3.92 million.
Repaired And Restored
The watch was set to 2:20 AM, the time when the Titanic completely disappeared beneath the waves. It is believed to have been a gift from Ida to her husband on his 43rd birthday, celebrated in 1888, and it featured their initials engraved. After being returned to family members, the item was passed down through generations until Kenneth Hollister Straus, Isidor’s great-grandson, decided to restore its mechanism.
The Definitive Love Story
Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge highlighted that the “world record price” demonstrates the ongoing interest in the tragedy of the Titanic. He stated that “every passenger, man, woman, child, or crew member had a story to tell, and these stories continue to live on 113 years later through these mementos.”
Aldridge added that “the story of the Strauses represents the ultimate expression of love,” recalling that Ida refused to leave her husband after 41 years together while the Titanic was sinking, and that the value achieved by the watch reflects the respect that her memory inspires.
Last year, another gold watch given to the captain of the Carpathia—the steamship that rescued more than 700 survivors of the Titanic—was sold for the then-record of US$ 2.04 million.
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