A rare gold pocket watch that once belonged to Titanic passenger Isidor Straus is expected to sell for £1 million at auction. Isidor, a wealthy New York businessman and co-owner of Macy’s department store, perished alongside his wife Ida when the Titanic sank on April 14, 1912.
Recovered from Isidor’s body, the 18-carat Jules Jurgensen pocket watch stopped at 2:20 a.m., marking the exact moment the ship went under. Believed to be a gift from Ida in 1888 and engraved with Straus’ initials, the watch was preserved by the family for generations. Its movement has recently been restored by Isidor’s great-grandson, Kenneth Hollister Straus.
The auction will also feature a rare letter penned by Ida aboard the Titanic, detailing the ship’s luxurious accommodations. Postmarked “TransAtlantic 7,” the letter offers a unique glimpse into life on board before tragedy struck, and is expected to fetch around £150,000.
Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge of Henry Aldridge & Son in Wiltshire said the watch “retells Isidor’s story” and represents one of the most compelling pieces of Titanic memorabilia. He added that the enduring love story of Isidor and Ida – who famously refused a lifeboat to stay together – continues to capture collectors’ imaginations more than a century later.
Last year, a gold pocket watch given to the captain of the Carpathia, the ship that rescued Titanic survivors, sold for a record-breaking £1.56 million, underscoring the high demand for historic Titanic artifacts.
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