A glimmer of gold, salvaged from the icy depths, holds a story of unimaginable love and loss. A pocket watch, once belonging to Isidor Straus, co-owner of Macy’s, is poised to become the most valuable Titanic artifact ever sold, a tangible link to a tragedy that continues to resonate over a century later.
Straus and his wife, Ida, embarked on a return voyage to New York in April 1912, unaware of the fate that awaited them. Accounts differ on their final moments, some picturing them arm in arm on deck, others envisioning them side-by-side in their cabin, but their devotion remains a haunting constant.
When the ship began to sink, Ida Straus made a choice that would etch her name into history. Offered a place on a lifeboat, she refused, declaring her unwavering commitment to her husband: “My place is with you. I have lived with you. I love you, and, if necessary, I shall die with you.” Her maid was sent to safety, wrapped in Ida’s fur coat, a small act of kindness amidst the chaos.
The Strauses were pillars of society, and after the disaster, their belongings were recovered from the Atlantic and returned to their son, Jesse. Among these recovered treasures was an 18-carat gold Jules Jurgensen pocket watch, bearing Isidor’s initials, “IS.”
Remarkably, the watch’s hands are frozen at 2:20 a.m. – the approximate moment the Titanic slipped beneath the waves. It’s a chilling detail, a silent testament to the ship’s final moments and the lives lost.
The watch wasn’t merely a timekeeping device; it was a deeply personal gift. Ida presented it to Isidor on his 43rd birthday in 1888, the same year they became full partners in the iconic Macy’s department store. The date, February 6, 1888, is delicately inscribed on its surface.
In an era when a pocket watch signified a gentleman’s status and personal worth, this timepiece represented something far more profound – a symbol of enduring love. It was a treasured possession, a connection between two souls facing an unthinkable fate.
Accompanying the watch is a poignant letter penned by Ida Straus just days before the tragedy, dated April 10, 1912. Postmarked from the Titanic’s own post office, it details a near-miss incident in Southampton, where the ship narrowly avoided a collision with another vessel.
The letter, in remarkably preserved condition, offers a glimpse into the normalcy of life aboard the Titanic just hours before disaster struck. Its rarity, being postmarked from the ship itself, adds to its extraordinary value for collectors.
This isn’t the first Titanic artifact to command a high price. John Jacob Astor’s pocket watch sold for nearly a million dollars, while a watch gifted to the Carpathia’s captain, the ship that rescued survivors, fetched $1.8 million. Wallace Hartley’s violin, played as the ship went down, sold for over $1.1 million in 2013.
But the Straus watch, with its powerful story and direct connection to a couple who chose love over survival, is expected to surpass them all. It’s a piece of history, a testament to a love that defied even the icy grip of the Atlantic, and it will be offered at auction on November 22nd.
The watch and letter, never before seen publicly, are being offered by descendants of the Straus family, offering a rare and intimate glimpse into a story that continues to captivate the world.
