A 14-carat gold pocket watch that once belonged to John Jacob Astor IV, the wealthiest passenger aboard the ill-fated Titanic, is set to be auctioned off and is expected to fetch a staggering £150,000 (approximately $190,000). The auction, held by Henry Aldridge & Son, will commence on Saturday, with an initial bid of £60,000.

Discovered alongside Astor's body when it was recovered several days after the sinking of the Titanic, the Waltham pocket watch is intricately engraved with the initials "JJA." Astor, renowned as the richest passenger on the Titanic and one of the wealthiest individuals in the world, had a net worth equivalent to roughly $87 million in today's currency.

Accompanied by his wife, Madeleine, the 40-something-year-old business tycoon had recently married the 18-year-old on September 11, 1911, as revealed by the auction house. The couple had embarked on an extended honeymoon across Europe and Egypt, finally making their way back to the United States when tragedy struck on April 14, 1912, as the Titanic collided with an iceberg.

According to records from the auction house, Astor had sought permission to join his wife on a lifeboat, citing her "delicate condition." However, he was instructed to await the rescue of all the women and children. Reportedly, Astor then calmly lit a cigarette, tossed his gloves to his wife, and went off to smoke with author Jacques Futrelle, who also perished in the disaster. Together with over 1,500 individuals, they tragically lost their lives.

The CS McKay-Bennett steamer recovered Astor's body, including the precious pocket watch, on April 22. While the watch was completely restored by Astor's family and subsequently worn by his son, it remains a unique testament to the Titanic's historic tale and a significant piece of horological history.

The auction of Astor's pocket watch coincides with other notable items from the infamous shipwreck making their way to the auction block. Among these is a recently sold photograph taken on April 16, 1912, purportedly capturing the iceberg that sealed the Titanic's fate. Back in November, an auction featured a rare menu from the Titanic's first-class restaurant, which fetched approximately $101,600. Additionally, a pocket watch recovered from Russian immigrant Sinai Kantor sold for around $118,700.

Before his demise, Astor left an indelible legacy as a multifaceted individual, excelling as a business magnate, real estate developer, investor, writer, and even serving as a lieutenant colonel in the Spanish-American War. Notably, he founded the iconic St. Regis hotel in New York City, which stands to this day. The Astor family's financial prosperity can be traced back to Astor's great-grandfather, John Jacob Astor, a renowned fur trader who secured his place among the wealthiest men in the United States.

As the auction for John Jacob Astor IV's pocket watch begins, enthusiasts and historians alike eagerly await the outcome, hoping to preserve a tangible piece of history from the world's most famous shipwreck.