John Jacob Astor IV boarded the Titanic in Paris 114 years ago along with his much younger wife, Madeleine. When he walked onto the ship, he became the richest passenger on the ill-fated voyage, which would sink after hitting an iceberg.
While Madeleine secured a spot on a lifeboat, Astor would perish in the tragedy with his personal affects still on his person.
Among the items recovered from his body was a Patek Philippe pocket watch, originally purchased from Tiffany & Co. in 1902.
Personally engraved and in 18 carat yellow gold, the Patek was returned to Astor’s family and was passed down through the generations.
It was decided when Astor’s grandson’s wife died in 2024 that her estate would put the watch up for auction.
Originally estimated to fetch between $300,000 and $500,000, the watch far surpassed its highest estimate. When the gavel finally came down, the watch had been sold for $1 million.
It is thought that the combination of the Titanic, the Patek Philippe and Tiffany & Co. brands and the status of Astor as one of the shipwreck’s most famous victims led to the price going way above expert’s estimations.
As well as the watch, a 14 carat gold, diamond and sapphire pencil case also found on Astor’s body was sold for an additional $204,800, more than ten times its estimate.
The Patek is not the only Titanic related timepiece to be sold at auction this week.
A pocket watch belonging to John Richardson, one of the engineers on board the RMS Carpathia, which rescued survivors of the Titanic, hit the auction block earlier this month.
Richardson was awarded the watch along with several other engineers by the Carpathia Engineers’ Presentation Fund months after the rescue mission.
The 18-carat gold pocket watch is inscribed with: “Presented to J. Richardson as a mark of appreciation for conspicuous services rendered R.M.S. Titanic, 15th April 1912.”
While the piece originally had an estimated value of £100,000, the watch eventually sold at auction for £60,700 (including auction fees).
Get your hands on the latest issue of Something About Rocks magazine
