Titanic survivor’s Patek Philippe to go under the hammer

A high profile Titanic survivor’s watch is going up for auction in Chicago.

John Jacob Astor IV, who built the Astoria Hotel in New York, was one of the ship’s wealthiest passengers and was worth $80 million at the time of the Titanic’s infamous sinking back in 1912.

His pocket watch, an 18-carat yellow gold Patek Philippe from 1904, will go under the hammer on April 22 at Freeman’s auction house in the Windy City. It is estimated to sell for between $300,000 and $500,000. 

It’s said that Astor had stayed on the deck of the Titanic until the bitter end, helping his wife and others onto lifeboats. 

The Patek Philippe was found on his person, and the watch remained in his family for generations before being up for sale now.