The story of the last moments of Isidor and Ida Strauss became part of James Cameron's film "Titanic," where they are depicted sitting together in a flooded cabin.
The chronometer by Jules Jurgensen, with the initials IS, belonging to German-American businessman Isidor Strauss, was sold for an amount exceeding the previous record of £1.56 million, set for the watch of Captain Arthur Henry Rostron, who rescued more than 700 passengers from the ‘Titanic’.
On the night of the disaster, Ida Strauss refused a lifeboat, choosing to stay with her husband. They were among the few first-class passengers who perished in this tragedy. Later, Isidor's body and his belongings, including the stopped watch, were found in the Atlantic Ocean and returned to their son, Jesse.
Isidor Strauss was one of the founders of the famous department store Macy’s, which is now considered the largest retail store in the USA. It is believed that his wife gifted him this watch in 1888.
