Expensive gold pocket watch of wealthy Titanic passenger could be the priciest item ever auctioned.

Titanic Gold Pocket Watch Set for Auction

Experts suggest that a gold pocket watch recovered from one of the wealthiest passengers on the Titanic could fetch a record price at auction. This watch belonged to Isidore Strauss, co-owner of Macy’s department store, who was aboard the ill-fated ship in April 1912 alongside his wife, Ida. The couple had recently returned from Europe.

“There’s a story about them being last spotted sitting together on deck, but, interestingly, in the film ‘Titanic,’ they’re shown lying side by side in a stateroom,” noted auctioneer Andrew Aldridge.

Ida Strauss famously refused to leave her husband, preferring to stay by his side. “My place is with you,” she is quoted as saying. “I have lived with you. I love you, and if I must, I will die with you.” Meanwhile, a maid was ushered onto a lifeboat and given a fur coat for warmth.

Aldridge commented on the couple’s social standing, stating: “Isidore and Ida Strauss were part of high society.” Just days after the Titanic sank, their belongings were retrieved from the Atlantic and sent back to their son, Jesse.

The items found included an 18K gold Jules Jurgensen pocket watch, engraved with the initials “IS.” It’s reported that the watch stopped at 2:20 a.m., right when the Titanic went down.

This watch is believed to have been a gift from Ida to Isidore for his 43rd birthday in 1888 and features the date engraved: February 6, 1888. That same year, he and his brother, Nathan, became full partners at Macy’s. Aldridge further elaborated, “In the early 20th century, pocket watches were cherished by gentlemen. This watch captures the essence of a gift from one of Titanic’s most iconic couples.”

Alongside the watch, there’s a letter penned by Ida Strauss to a family friend, dated April 10, 1912. This letter contained a Titanic header and was postmarked “TransAtlantic 7” before being delivered in Queenstown, Ireland.

In her letter, Ida discussed a near mishap with the SS New York in Southampton, expressing concern about “size” being an issue. She relayed that Mr. Strauss had felt uneasy, recalling a past experience on the Olympic. Thankfully, the danger was quickly averted, and they were well on their way to Cherbourg.

Aldridge mentioned that while they have auctioned various Titanic letters previously, the condition of this letter is exceptional—it’s colorful and detailed, and its postmark adds to its rarity, making it very appealing to collectors.

Last year, John Jacob Astor’s gold pocket watch from the Titanic sold for nearly $1 million. Additionally, a watch given to the captain of the Carpathia, which rescued over 700 survivors, commanded a price of about $1.8 million.