Gold Pocket Watch From Titanic Rescue Fetches Record £1.56m at Auction
A gold pocket watch presented to Sir Arthur Rostron, the captain of the RMS Carpathia, for rescuing over 700 Titanic survivors in 1912, has sold for a record-breaking £1.56m ($1.97m/Ksh 255,115,000) at auction.
The 18-carat Tiffany & Co timepiece, inscribed with gratitude from three survivors, was gifted by the widow of Titanic’s wealthiest passenger, John Jacob Astor, along with two other bereaved women.
Auctioneer Henry Aldridge and Son in Wiltshire confirmed the sale as the highest ever for Titanic memorabilia. A private U.S. collector acquired the watch, underscoring the enduring intrigue surrounding the ill-fated liner.
Sir Arthur famously diverted the Carpathia to rescue survivors after receiving Titanic’s distress call. The watch reflects his bravery, with auctioneer Andrew Aldridge noting, “Without Captain Rostron, those 700 lives wouldn’t have been saved.”
This sale follows another record set earlier this year when a gold pocket watch recovered from John Jacob Astor’s body sold for £1.175m. It highlights the rising demand and dwindling availability of Titanic artefacts.
