A gold pocket watch recovered from the body of one of the Titanic’s wealthiest passengers has fetched a record-breaking £1.78 million at an auction in Wiltshire.
The 18-carat Jules Jurgensen watch belonged to Isidor Straus, a prominent American businessman, politician, and co-owner of Macy’s. Straus and his wife, Ida, were among more than 1,500 passengers who lost their lives when the ship struck an iceberg and sank on 14 April 1912 during its voyage from Southampton to New York.
Straus’ body was recovered a few days later, and the timepiece — engraved with his initials — was found among his belongings. The watch, which had remained in the Straus family for generations, was sold on Saturday by Henry Aldridge & Son Auctioneers in Devizes. It had been repaired and restored by Straus’ great-grandson, Kenneth Hollister Straus.
The watch had stopped at 02:20, the exact time the Titanic sank beneath the Atlantic. It is believed to have been a gift from Ida to her husband on his 43rd birthday in 1888, according to BBC reports.
Ida Straus famously refused a place on a lifeboat, choosing to stay with her husband as the ship went down. Her body was never recovered.
Other Titanic memorabilia also drew high bids at the auction, including a letter written by Ida Straus on Titanic stationery, which sold for £100,000; a passenger list, purchased for £104,000; and a gold medal awarded to the RMS Carpathia crew, which fetched £86,000. The total sales of Titanic items reached £3 million.
Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge said the record price reflects the enduring fascination with the Titanic and the stories of its passengers. He described the Strauses as “the ultimate love story,” highlighting Ida’s refusal to leave her husband of 41 years.
Last year, a gold pocket watch given to the captain of the Carpathia — the ship that rescued more than 700 survivors — sold for £1.56 million, setting the previous record.
-(25)-20251122135712.jpeg)
-(25)-20251122062715.jpeg)
-(25)-20251121051022.jpeg)
