Tiffany & Co. announced that it was the one that made the winning bid of $2 million for the gold pocket watch they had donated to Arthur H. Rostron, the ship's captain who came to the aid of the Titanic after the ship struck an iceberg and began sinking.
The pocket watch was put up for sale last month by English auction house Henry Aldridge & Son Ltd. It is the most expensive piece of Titanic memorabilia ever sold.
«Tiffany & Co. jewellery and objects have been a cornerstone of global luxury since the mid-19th century. So the fact that Tiffany was commissioned to help give thanks in the aftermath of the unthinkable tragedy of the Titanic reminds us of our humble role in the lives of our clients.» Said Christopher Young, vice president of creative visual merchandising, events and Tiffany Archives for the retailer.
«Captain Rostron's pocket watch is an incredible expression of thanks and gratitude. And we are proud to welcome this extraordinary treasure to the home of Tiffany & Co.»
The watch will be on display at LVMH Watch Week 2025, scheduled for January 28 to February 1 in Miami. It will also have special appearances at key events and Tiffany & Co. stores.
Rostron was captain of the steamer R.M.S. Carpathia on a voyage from New York to the Mediterranean. In the early morning hours of April 15, 1912, he became aware of a distress call from the Titanic.
He ordered the ship to change course to rush to the aid of the Titanic. With the crew of the Carpathia eventually rescuing more than 700 people and taking them to Pier 54 in New York. Today it is located on Little Island.
Three shipwreck survivors - Madeleine Talmadge Astor, Marian Longstreth Thayer and Eleanor Elkins Weidener - presented the watch to Rostron at a «special» luncheon for Titanic survivors hosted by Astor at her Fifth Avenue mansion around one year after the tragedy.
All three women lost their husbands. Prominent businessmen John Jacob Astor IV, John Borland Thayer II and George Dunton Widener when the Titanic sank. While Eleanor also lost her 27-year-old son, Harry Elkins Widener, in the tragedy.
Tiffany & Co. said a quote from its records shows that Eleanor was the one who actually bought the watch. It is inscribed with the words: «Presented to Captain Rostron with the sincere gratitude and appreciation of three survivors of the Titanic on April 15, 1912. Mrs. John B. Thayer, Mrs. John Jacob Astor and Mrs. George D. Widener.».
«Every man, woman and child on the Titanic also had a story to tell. And we tell those stories a century later through their memorabilia.» Said Henry Aldridge and Son Ltd managing director Andrew Aldridge.
«So this clock is a testament to the bravery of Sir Arthur Rostron. Also of the esteem in which he was held by the widows of three of the most important men on the Titanic. The fact that Tiffany & Co. bought the piece 112 years after it was sold shows that the cycle is complete. But also that it is coming home to roost.».
Source: nationaljeweler.com
