A gold pocket watch, gifted to a heroic ship captain who saved over 700 passengers from the Titanic, has shattered records at auction, fetching £1.56 million ($1.97 million).
A Symbol of Gratitude and Heroism
The 18-carat Tiffany & Co. pocket watch was presented to Captain Arthur Rostron by the widows of three prominent businessmen who perished when the Titanic sank on April 15, 1912, after colliding with an iceberg. Auction house Henry Aldridge & Son shared this remarkable sale with Media.
Rostron was commanding the RMS Carpathia on its route from New York to the Mediterranean when he redirected the ship to answer distress calls from the doomed Titanic.
An Engraving with a Heartfelt Message
The watch carries an inscription that reads: “Presented to Captain Rostron with the heartfelt gratitude and appreciation of three survivors of the Titanic April 15th 1912 Mrs John B Thayer, Mrs John Jacob Astor and Mrs George D Widener.”
John Jacob Astor IV, the wealthiest man aboard the Titanic and portrayed in the 1997 film Titanic by James Cameron, ensured his pregnant wife reached safety in a lifeboat before he succumbed to the disaster alongside roughly 1,500 others. The watch was presented to Rostron at Mrs. Astor’s mansion in New York on May 31, 1912, marking one year since the Titanic’s launch.
A New Record for Titanic Memorabilia
Previously, the highest price for a Titanic-related auction item was another pocket watch, sold for £1.175 million ($1.485 million) earlier this year.
Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge commented on the continued fascination with Titanic relics: “The fact the world record price for Titanic memorabilia has been broken twice this year demonstrates the ever-decreasing supply and an ever-increasing demand for memorabilia related to the ship,” he told Media.
A Collector’s Treasure
The watch was acquired by a private collector in the U.S., and the final sale price included taxes and fees, as confirmed by PA media.
