Gold watch worn by Titanic's richest passenger auctioned for more than a cool million

John Jacob Astor IV, a member of the wealthy Astor family and the richest man to travel aboard the Titanic, was wearing a gold watch at the time of the ship's sinking. That piece, rescued after the famous catastrophe, was auctioned this weekend along with other objects that survived the shipwreck.

It ultimately sold for $1.46 million.

John Jacob Astor IV, miembro de la adinerada familia Astor y el hombre más rico a bordo del Titanic, usaba un reloj de oro al momento del hundimiento | Captura de la web de Henry Aldridge & Son

The tycoon was one of approximately 1,500 people who died when the ocean liner sank on April 15, 1912 after colliding with an iceberg. His pregnant wife, Madeleine, survived, and with her, the clock.

Another of the objects that is for sale at the Henry Aldridge and Son Ltd. auction house is the suitcase belonging to Wallace Hartley, a member of the Titanic band and leader of the orchestra, which contained the violin he played while the mass of iron sank in the icy waters.

The watch is one of several notable items being offered at the English auction house, along with a listing that includes the violin suitcase, and a portfolio documenting the Titanic's scheduled voyages.

However, the violin itself was sold for $1.7 million through the same institution in 2013 and is the best-selling item from the shipwreck to date.

It is expected, according to media reports that we consulted the directors of the house, that the watch will sell for between 125 thousand and 188 thousand dollars, and the suitcase will reach around 150,000. This was reported by Andrew Aldridge, the manager of Henry Aldridge & Son, adding that bidding began on April 27 at noon local time.

According to the auction house, the watch was among the personal belongings found with Astor's body, which was rescued, after the sinking of the Titanic. He also carried cufflinks, gold cufflinks, a diamond ring, money and a wallet, among other items.

After the recovery of the millionaire's body, those belongings were sent to his son, Vincent Astor, who completely restored the clock to working order. In 1935, he gave the watch as a christening gift to the newborn son of William Dobbyn IV, executive secretary of John Jacob Astor, the auction house explained.

La maleta perteneciente a Wallace Hartley, miembro de la banda del Titanic y líder de la orquesta, que contenía el violín que tocó mientras el Titanic se hundía | Captura de la web de Henry Aldridge & Son

According to official history, the Dobbyn family kept the watch until the late 1990s, when it was auctioned. An unidentified collector in the United States purchased the piece at the time and is the current seller. Since then, it has been exhibited in several museums.

Meanwhile, John Jacob's cufflinks and the plan of the Titanic's first-class accommodation will also be on offer at this Saturday's auction. The twins are expected to sell for around $10,000 and the accommodation plan is close to $38,000.