Gold Pocket Watch from Titanic Couple Fetches Record €2 Million

A gold pocket watch belonging to a couple who perished during the sinking of the RMS Titanic has sold for an astounding €2 million (£1.78 million) at auction. This sale marks the highest price ever paid for Titanic memorabilia, as confirmed by the auctioneers. The previous record was set just last year when a gold pocket watch awarded to the captain of the RMS Carpathia, the ship that rescued over 700 Titanic survivors, sold for £1.56 million (€1.7 million).

Historical Significance of the Watch

The 18-carat Jules Jurgensen watch was owned by Isidor Straus, a first-class passenger who tragically drowned when the Titanic sank in April 1912. He and his wife, Ida Straus, were depicted in James Cameron’s iconic 1997 film “Titanic” as the couple embracing during the disaster. The watch was recovered from Mr. Straus’s body along with other personal belongings and later returned to his family.

Mr. Straus received the watch as a birthday gift in 1888, the same year he became a partner at Macy’s, one of the largest department stores in the United States. On the night of the sinking, as chaos ensued, the couple made their way to the Titanic’s boat deck. Mr. Straus was offered a spot on a lifeboat due to his age but insisted he would not leave before the other men. Ida refused to abandon her husband, and they were last seen seated together on deckchairs, facing their fate.

Auction Highlights and Record Sales

The auction was conducted by Henry Aldridge & Son Auctioneers in Devizes, Wiltshire, and included several other notable items. A letter written by Mrs. Straus on Titanic stationery sold for £100,000 (€113,770), and a Titanic passenger list fetched £104,000 (€118,320). Additionally, a gold medal awarded to the crew of the RMS Carpathia by rescued survivors sold for £86,000 (€97,842). The total auction revenue from Titanic-related items reached £3 million (€3.4 million).

Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge remarked, “The world record price illustrates the enduring interest in the Titanic story. Every man, woman, and child passenger or crew had a story to tell, and they are told 113 years later through the memorabilia.” He emphasized the poignant tale of the Strauses, noting that Ida’s refusal to leave her husband of 41 years as the Titanic sank underscores their extraordinary love story.

Born in 1845 in Otterberg, Bavaria, Isidor Straus emigrated to the United States with his family in 1854. Prior to the Titanic voyage, he and Ida traveled on the RMS Caronia to Jerusalem before returning to the U.S. via Southampton on the Titanic. The sale of this watch not only highlights the continuing fascination with the Titanic but also serves as a reminder of the personal stories behind the tragedy that took more than 1,500 lives.