Watch Given to Captain for Saving Hundreds of “Titanic” Passengers Sells for Nearly $2M at Auction

The 18-carat gold Tiffany & Co. timepiece is the highest-valued piece of 'Titanic' memorabilia

This pocket watch could rival the Heart of the Ocean.

A gold Tiffany & Co. pocket watch given to a captain who saved passengers from the Titanic sold for almost $2 million at an auction over the weekend, according to reports.

The 18-carat gold that belonged to Sir Arthur Rostron was bought for $1.97 million by a private collector on Sunday, Nov. 17 — setting a new record for memorabilia related to the ship's sinking, according to the BBC.

Rostron, who helmed the passenger ship RMS Carpathia, saved 700 passengers who were stranded at sea after the Titanic struck an iceberg in the early morning hours of April 15, 1912. His ship was set to travel from New York towards the Mediterranean Sea but diverted its route after receiving the fated distress call from the Titanic.

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Rostron was awoken from his cabin when the call came in and steered the wreckage through icebergs to reach the Titanic, CBS News reported. Though the Titanic sank upon Rostron's arrival, his crew found 20 lifeboats and brought the hundreds of rescued people to New York. Over 1,500 people ultimately died as a result of the sinking.

The widow of John Jacob Astor — the wealthiest man aboard the Titanic — and two other widows of wealthy businessmen who died in the tragedy presented Rostron with the watch at a lunch at Astor's mansion in New York City, according to CBS News.

Related: 'Rare' Footage of Titanic Shipwreck Released for First Time: See into Chief Officer's Cabin and More

The inscription on the stunning timepiece reads: "Presented to Captain Rostron with the heartfelt gratitude and appreciation of three survivors of the Titanic April 15th 1912 Mrs John B Thayer, Mrs John Jacob Astor and Mrs George D Widener."

"It was presented principally in gratitude for Rostron’s bravery in saving those lives, because without Mr Rostron, those 700 people wouldn’t have made it," auctioneer Andrew Aldridge said, the BBC reported.

Related: Billionaire Plans to Take $20M Sub to Titanic Wreck Following Titan Sub Disaster

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The Nov. 17 purchase was the highest amount ever paid for Titanic memorabilia, according to the BBC. The previous record had been set in October 2023 by a violin played by the Titanic's bandleader as tragedy struck and sold for $1.7 million, CNN reported.

Another pocket watch that was worn by Astor himself when he was aboard the Titanic took home $1.485 million at auction, according to CNN.