If only watches could tell stories! This watch, belonging to Titanic passenger John Jacob Astor, undoubtedly could tell its own story.
On April 14, 1912, the Titanic collided with an iceberg. This happened at 11:40 that night. The ship, once called unsinkable due to the advanced technology used in its construction at the time, sank by 2:20 the following morning. Unfortunately, 1,523 people died, including 815 passengers and 688 crew members. Up to 700 people survived the tragic sinking. Many more could have survived, as the ship could accommodate 1,178 people, but panic overwhelmed many on board.
The Titanic Passenger Who Owned These Watches
One of those who perished was John Jacob Astor. Reports say he was last seen smoking a cigarette and talking with other passengers as the Titanic began to plunge into the icy Atlantic. A week later, his body was found with a Waltham pocket watch.
Last month, this watch was sold for £1.175 million (about €1,377,000). Auction house Henry Aldridge & Son sold the watch to a private U.S. collector. Before the auction, it was expected that the watch would fetch between £100,000 and £150,000.
The Waltham Watch Was Partially Identified by a Unique Engraving
John Astor was 47 years old when he died. One of his last actions was helping his wife into a lifeboat. Astor, a member of a famous and wealthy family, was also the richest passenger on the Titanic. His watch - a 14-karat gold Waltham pocket watch engraved with the initials JJA. According to Henry Aldridge & Son, the watch was returned to Mr. Astor's son Vincent, who restored it and used it, then passed it on to the son of his father's executive secretary.
According to auctioneer Andrew Aldridge, quoted by Sky News, “Astor initially did not believe the ship was in serious danger, but later it became clear that it was sinking, and the captain began evacuation after midnight, so he helped his wife into the fourth lifeboat.” Mrs. Astor survived thanks to her husband's efforts.
“(These items) reflect not only the importance of the artifacts themselves and their rarity, but also testify to the enduring allure and fascination with the Titanic's story. The story of the Titanic is essentially a collision of a large ship with an iceberg and the tragic loss of life, but more importantly, there are 2,200 stories... 2,200 subplots, with each man, woman, and child having their own story, and the memorabilia tells these stories today,” said Mr. Aldridge.
This Violin Case from the Titanic Was Also Sold at Auction
This humble violin case was also found on the Titanic and sold at auction. In some ways, it is a powerful symbol of the human tragedy of the Titanic disaster.
The violin bag with the initials WHH belonged to Wallace Hartley, the leader of the Titanic's orchestra. It was Hartley who led the ship's band that played music as the vessel was sinking. This element of the Titanic's sinking is one of the most poignant moments captured on film and became the subject of a touching scene in the 1997 blockbuster film Titanic. The violin bag was sold for £290,000 (about €340,000).
Final Thoughts
The sunken Titanic is still remembered by many. It is a story of human tragedy, but it has always captured people's imaginations. Perhaps it is because it is also a story of human arrogance, of hoping we could create an unsinkable ship. But most importantly, it is a story of the last moments of hundreds of human lives. It is always sobering to look at artifacts that take us back to these significant historical moments.
And what do you think, friends? Are you fascinated by these historical relics and the stories they can tell? Let me know on the Telegram channel.