Gold Pocket Watch from Titanic Rescue Sells for Record £1.56m at Auction

A gold pocket watch gifted to Captain Sir Arthur Rostron, the British seafarer who led the rescue of over 700 Titanic survivors, has sold for a staggering £1.56 million ($1.97 million) at auction, setting a new record for Titanic memorabilia.

The 18-carat Tiffany & Co. watch was presented to Sir Arthur by three survivors of the 1912 maritime tragedy, including the widow of John Jacob Astor, one of the wealthiest passengers aboard the ill-fated ocean liner.

The historic sale took place at Henry Aldridge and Son auction house in Wiltshire, with the timepiece purchased by a private collector in the United States. Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge described the event as a testament to the “enduring fascination” with the Titanic and its legacy.

Heroism at Sea

Sir Arthur Rostron, then captain of the RMS Carpathia, became a hero after steering his ship off its original course to answer Titanic’s distress call on the night of 15 April 1912. Despite reaching the site two hours after the Titanic sank, the Carpathia managed to save hundreds of lives from the icy waters of the North Atlantic.

The watch, engraved with a heartfelt inscription, 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.”

It was given to Sir Arthur by Madeleine Astor, John Jacob Astor’s widow, during a luncheon at the Astor family mansion in New York City.

A New Record in Titanic Memorabilia

This sale surpasses the previous record set earlier this year when another gold pocket watch, retrieved from John Jacob Astor’s body, sold for £1.175 million. Before that, a violin played during the ship’s final moments held the record for over a decade, having fetched £1.1 million in 2013.

Mr Aldridge noted that the rising prices reflect the dwindling availability of Titanic artefacts and the growing demand among collectors.

“Captain Rostron’s courage and swift action ensured the survival of those who otherwise wouldn’t have made it,” Aldridge remarked, adding that this unique item underscores the deep human stories tied to the Titanic’s legacy.

The sale reinforces the Titanic’s enduring allure, over a century after it sank, claiming the lives of more than 1,500 passengers and crew.