A rare pocket watch once owned by one of the Titanic’s most notable passengers has made history by selling for an astonishing $2.3 million at auction—setting a new record for artifacts linked to the tragic 1912 shipwreck.
The 18-carat gold watch was originally gifted to its owner, Isidor Straus, by his wife Ida Straus on his 43rd birthday, according to Henry Aldridge & Son, the auction house that conducted the sale. The watch was later recovered from Straus’ body after the Titanic sank in the icy waters of the North Atlantic.
Isidor Straus—an influential American businessman, politician, and co-owner of Macy’s department store in New York City—was traveling first class with his wife during the Titanic’s maiden voyage from England to New York. The couple is widely remembered for their extraordinary courage and devotion in the final moments of their lives.
Survivors reported that the Strauses were offered two lifeboat seats shortly after the ship collided with the iceberg. However, Isidor declined, insisting the spots be given to younger men. Ida refused to leave her husband behind, reportedly telling him, “Where you go, I go.”
According to the U.K. National Archives, the couple was last seen standing together, arm in arm, on the deck—moments before a powerful wave swept them into the sea. Their legacy continues through their descendant Wendy Rush, wife of OceanGate founder Stockton Rush, who tragically died in the 2023 Titan submersible disaster near the Titanic wreck site.
The recent sale surpassed the previous record for Titanic memorabilia by roughly $300,000. That earlier record belonged to another gold pocket watch auctioned for about $1.97 million, gifted by Titanic survivors to the captain of the RMS Carpathia—the ship that rescued hundreds of passengers still drifting in lifeboats the night the Titanic sank.
“Pocket watches are deeply personal items,” noted Andrew Aldridge, managing director of the auction house. “Every passenger and crew member had a story. More than a century later, these objects continue to preserve those memories and connect us to one of the most significant tragedies of the 20th century.”
