Recently, a gold watch that was discovered on the body of the wealthiest passenger aboard the Titanic was sold for £1.17 million ($1.46 million) at an auction in England. This sets a new record for the highest sum paid for an item linked to the tragic 1912 shipwreck, as announced by auctioneers Henry Aldridge & Son. The watch, which had the initials JJA engraved on it, belonged to American tycoon John Jacob Astor. At 47 years old, he perished as the Titanic sank on April 15, 1912. Known as one of the wealthiest individuals in the world during that period, he lost his life after assisting his wife Madeleine onto a lifeboat.

Fortunately, she survived the disaster while his body was discovered a week later with the watch found among his personal effects. Following its recovery and restoration, the watch was subsequently worn by Astor’s son. According to a statement from the auction house cited by AFP, this sale marks a significant milestone in history and reflects how much interest there is in owning a piece of history.