Two watches with ties to the Titanic film and wreckage site will be up for auction during Sotheby’s “Important Watches” sale in December. The RMS Titanic tragically sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on April 15, 1912, resulting in around 1,500 deaths. The wreckage of the ship was discovered by Dr. Robert Ballard and his team in 1985, and since then, fewer than 250 individuals have seen it in person. One person who visited the Titanic wreckage site multiple times was Alfred “Al” Giddings, an underwater cinematographer known for his work on the Titanic film directed by James Cameron. Giddings went on 17 dives to the Titanic wreckage site throughout his life.
Sotheby’s announced that two watches from Giddings’ personal collection, worn on his dives to the Titanic, would be going up for auction for the first time in the “Important Watches” sale. One of the watches is a steel Rolex 1680 Submariner, known for being waterproof, automatic, and worn on over a dozen dives to the Titanic. The other watch is a gold Rolex 1680 Submariner, also worn by actor Bill Paxton in the Titanic film. Paxton played a treasure hunter in the film, hunting for the treasures of the RMS Titanic in a flashback-heavy storyline. Paxton himself visited the Titanic wreck with James Cameron and the experience was documented in the film “Ghosts of the Abyss.”
The Titanic film, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, was a major success and won several Academy Awards, including Best Picture in 1998. Giddings, whose watches are up for auction, has led an adventurous life, traveling across the globe and experiencing extraordinary adventures. The watches have accompanied him on his expeditions, from the icy realms of the North Pole to the deep sea depths. The watches, known for their extensive underwater exposure, are expected to captivate history, adventure, and exploration enthusiasts, according to Sotheby’s press release. Prior to the auction, the watches will be displayed for public viewing at Sotheby’s York Avenue galleries in New York.
The fascination with the Titanic story remains strong, with the film and the discovery of the wreckage continuing to captivate audiences. The two watches up for auction represent a unique connection to both the actual Titanic site and the popular film that immortalized the tragic event. With ties to Giddings, a renowned underwater cinematographer, and actor Bill Paxton, who starred in the Titanic film, these watches hold significant historical and cinematic value. The upcoming auction at Sotheby’s is expected to draw attention from collectors, historians, and fans of the Titanic story, offering a rare opportunity to own a piece of this iconic tale.
The watches themselves, having been worn on multiple dives to the Titanic wreckage site, hold a special significance and provide a tangible link to the events of that fateful night in 1912. The steel Rolex 1680 Submariner and the gold Rolex 1680 Submariner have a unique story behind them, having journeyed with Giddings to various locations around the world and accumulated countless hours beneath the waves. The opportunity to own a watch with such an extensive history and connection to a historic event like the sinking of the Titanic is sure to attract interest from collectors and enthusiasts alike. The upcoming auction presents a rare chance to own a piece of maritime and cinematic history, with the watches symbolizing the enduring legacy of the Titanic tragedy and the ongoing fascination with this iconic story.
