Gold pocket watch of Titanic's richest passenger is up for auction

[140dave]

I don’t know if this was discussed but I found this interesting:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/titanic-auction-pocket-watch-richest-passenger-john-jacob-astor-iv/

I’m not a collector of disaster memorabilia but a very interesting history for sure. Would you want to own it? It would make me shiver anytime I looked at it so would pass. Not that I can afford it but if I could, still a pass

for those that don’t want to click, a brief part of the rest:
“The auction for John Jacob Astor IV's 14-carat gold Waltham pocket watch begins Saturday, with a starting bid of 60,000 pounds, according to auction house Henry Aldridge & Son. The watch, engraved with the initials JJA, was found along with Astor's body when his remains were recovered several days after the Titanic sank. He was also found with a diamond ring, gold and diamond cufflinks, 225 pounds in English notes, and $2,440.”

 

[Evitzee]

It's a historical piece from one of the most famous disasters of the 20th century and belonging to its most famous and wealthy passenger. The watch has gravitas. Wouldn't bother me in the least to own it if I was in that genre of watch collecting.

Edited: Apr 27, 2024

 

[pdxleaf]

Interesting question.

This quote from the article decided it for me:

" 'The watch itself was completely restored after being returned to Colonel Astor's family and worn by his son making it a unique part of the Titanic story and one of the most important pieces of horological history relating to the most famous ship in the world,' the auction house said."

It's not grave robbing. The watch was returned to the family, who then made the decision to return it to the living world. It'd be different if it was plucked from a body by a diving team rooting through a shipwreck/tomb.

Here's a recommendation for folks living in the Pacific NW:

 

[Bille]

And sold for £ 900.000 plus fees😎

 

[Canuck]

The watch shown in the link in the article is not the watch that @Bille reports, sold for £900.000.00. The watch shown in the link in the article is not 14-karat gold, and it is not a Waltham. The watch shown in the link in the article has a dial make for the Turkish market. Why would an all-American aristocrat carry such a watch? I’d believe the watch that @Bille reported on might be the genuine article.

 

[Pastorbottle]

It’s the price not the history that would make me shiver and with my luck I’d drop the bastard on the ceramic tile floor!

 

[140dave]

pdxleaf

Interesting question.



It's not grave robbing.

You are correct, not at all.
That is not what bothers me about it, for me personally the Titanic just freaks me out, gives me the old heebee jeebees just thinking about it. Not sure why, Hindenburg and similar do not give me the same reaction.

Past life issues, lol

 

[Peemacgee]

I was wondering why one of the world’s richest men was only carrying a 14k Waltham?

 

[DaveK]

140dave

I’m not a collector of disaster memorabilia but a very interesting history for sure…

This is precisely why I didn’t buy the Hodinkee travel clock

 

[pdxleaf]

140dave

You are correct, not at all.
That is not what bothers me about it, for me personally the Titanic just freaks me out, gives me the old heebee jeebees just thinking about it. Not sure why, Hindenburg and similar do not give me the same reaction.

Past life issues, lol

Random thread drift alert.

I went across the Atlantic three times on Ocean Liners, one was the USS United States and the other two on converted troop ships (Buckner and Rose). It was the sixties and the military shipped families instead of flying because it was cheaper.

Don't recall a lot except it was boring. It took about 10 days. On one ship they were playing 'Cleopatra' with Elizabeth Taylor. My little brother and I tried to watch it several times but could only last about 10 minutes each time. Apparently my brother almost climbed out a portal.

Based on the menus, the food was good on the United States but we had to dress up for dinner.

I can't imagine doing this now (dressing for dinner included or traveling with kids on a ship for 10 days 😁)

 

[Evitzee]

Peemacgee

I was wondering why one of the world’s richest men was only carrying a 14k Waltham?

Many wealthy people don't wear expensive watches, it says nothing about their sophistication. The world's CEOs wear everything from Casios to Patek Philippes.

 

[BlackTalon]

pdxleaf

Random thread drift alert.

I went across the Atlantic three times on Ocean Liners, one was the USS United States and the other two on converted troop ships (Buckner and Rose). It was the sixties and the military shipped families instead of flying because it was cheaper.

Don't recall a lot except it was boring. It took about 10 days. On one ship they were playing 'Cleopatra' with Elizabeth Taylor. My little brother and I tried to watch it several times but could only last about 10 minutes each time. Apparently my brother almost climbed out a portal.

Based on the menus, the food was good on the United States but we had to dress up for dinner.

I can't imagine doing this now (dressing for dinner included or traveling with kids on a ship for 10 days 😁)

Interesting to know their clocks were learning disabled.

 

[pdxleaf]

BlackTalon

Interesting to know their clocks were learning disabled.

Took me a minute...