A gold pocket watch given to the British boat captain who rescued more than 700 passengers from the Titanic has sold at auction for a record-breaking £1.56m ($1.97m). The 18-carat Tiffany & Co timepiece was given to Sir Arthur Rostron, then captain of passenger ship RMS Carpathia, by survivors he rescued.

A gold watch gifted to the captain of a ship who rescued more than 700 passengers and crew from the Titanic has sold for a record-breaking $1.97 million.

The captain changed the course of the ship and headed towards the wreckage of the Titanic with lifeboats floating around. According to auctioneer Andrew Aldridge, the watch was "presented principally in gratitude for Rostron's bravery in saving those lives,

The previous record for Titanic memorabilia was set in April, when John Jacob Astor’s gold watch sold for £1.175m.

A gold pocket watch given to the ship captain who rescued 700 survivors from the Titanic has sold at auction for nearly $2 million.

A gold pocket watch given to the ship captain who rescued 700 survivors from the Titanic sold at auction for nearly $2 million, setting a record for memorabilia from the ship wreck.

A gold pocket watch given to the ship captain who rescued 700 survivors from the Titanic sold at auction for nearly $2 million.

Gold pocket watch Titanic memorabilia sells for record price - The watch was given to Rostron by the widow of John Jacob Astor

A gold pocket watch presented to the captain of a boat which rescued more than 700 passengers from the Titanic has sold for a record-breaking £1.56 million. It was the highest amount ever paid for Titanic memorabilia,