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LONDON, England—A chilling artifact from the sinking of the RMS Titanic—an 18-karat gold pocket watch owned by a prominent first-class passenger—has shattered records for Titanic memorabilia, selling for a staggering 1.78 million British pounds (approximately $2.5 million/3.4 billion KRW) at auction. The timepiece, frozen forever at the exact moment the luxury liner vanished beneath the waves, serves as a poignant reminder of the tragedy and the enduring power of a legendary love story.
The historic sale took place on November 22 in the United Kingdom, hosted by auction house Henry Aldridge & Son. The watch belonged to Isidor Straus, the 67-year-old co-owner of the renowned New York department store Macy’s, who was traveling with his wife, Ida Straus, when the ship struck an iceberg and sank on April 15, 1912.
Stopped at the Final Hour
The small, portable pocket watch, engraved with Straus's initials and a date commemorating his 43rd birthday, was recovered from his body nearly two weeks after the disaster. The most striking and somber detail: the hands of the watch are permanently stopped at 2:20 a.m., the documented time when the majestic vessel plunged into the frigid North Atlantic waters. The watch is believed to have been a gift from his wife, a cherished possession that Straus had carried for over two decades.
This record-breaking figure surpasses all previous sales for artifacts related to the ill-fated liner, demonstrating the relentless global fascination with the Titanic's story.
A Love Story Immortalized on Deck
The high price reflects not just the rarity of the object but the profound narrative attached to its owner. Isidor and Ida Straus are remembered for a steadfast devotion that transcended the chaos of the sinking.
During the evacuation, Ida Straus was offered a seat on a lifeboat, adhering to the "women and children first" protocol. However, her husband, an older man, was prepared to stand aside for younger men. In a powerful display of loyalty immortalized in history and later depicted in the 1997 film Titanic, Ida refused to leave her husband's side. Her reported response was, "Where you go, I go."
Eyewitness accounts from survivors recall the couple's final moments: they were last seen standing arm-in-arm on the ship's deck as the Titanic's fate became certain. While Isidor’s body and his watch were eventually recovered, Ida’s body was never found, leaving her legacy as one of unwavering commitment. The film portrays the elderly couple lying in their bed, hands clasped, as their cabin filled with water—a scene that has cemented the Strauses' tragic, romantic end in popular culture.
The auction of this simple, yet historically charged timepiece underscores the eternal human connection to the Titanic, a tragedy where love, heroism, and immense wealth met an unforgiving fate. The Straus watch stands not merely as a valuable relic, but as a silent, gold-cased monument to an extraordinary act of love and sacrifice.
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