The sale of a gold watch discovered on the body of the wealthiest passenger aboard the Titanic for £1.17 million ($1.46 million) broke records for an item associated with the tragic 1912 shipwreck, announced Henry Aldridge & Son, as reported by AFP on April 27. The buyer from the United States emerged victorious in the bidding war, surpassing the estimated price of £100,000 to £150,000 set by the auctioneers.
The watch belonged to American tycoon John Jacob Astor and had been among his effects when he perished after assisting his wife onto one of the lifeboats as the ship sank on April 15, 1912. According to AFP, Madeleine survived the catastrophe while her husband’s body was found a week later.
The gold watch, which bore Astor’s initials JJA, had been fully restored after being returned to Colonel Astor’s family before being sold at auction. The sale was notable because it set a new record for an item associated with the Titanic disaster and showed how valuable historical artifacts can be when properly restored and marketed.
