Titanic remnants find new home in luxury watches
By Donald Melanson 
posted Apr 13th 2007 3:32PM
posted Apr 13th 2007 3:32PM
Swiss watchmaker Romain Jerome SA appears to have gone a bit off the beaten path in sourcing materials for its latest luxury watches, with the company re-purposing pieces of the Titanic for a limited edition run. According to Reuters, the company mixed a three-pound piece of the hull of the Titanic with some steel from a replica to create an alloy for the watches, with some coal from the ship's debris field finding its way into the paint used on the watch dial. If that's not enough, the so-called "Titanic-DNA" watches also come in three varieties of bad taste, with steel, gold, and platinum versions available for between $7,800 and $173,100.[Via Wired:Gadget Lab, photo courtesy of Reuters/Christian Hartmann]
If you buy a replica watch instead of the real thing, Is there any jewellers who will service it? I had bought it at http://theinternetbiz.com 3 years ago, it's a Brietling replica
In other tasteless news, pre-order your very own private jet made from the remains of the World Trade Center. Sound ridiculous? So does profiting off one of the most tragic disasters in history. TERRIBLE.
Ya know, I gotta say, I think it might be about time we start leaving the Titanic alone.
I agree with Jeff. Nothing quite like making a profit off the tragic deaths of others now is there?
I agree, let's not forget the World Trade Center and United 98 movies, The Inconvenient Truth, Bowling for Columbine, and other tasteless documentaries.
Capitalism is king.
I respect their recycling spirit, but I'm against tomb robbing.
Would the victims be happy if we wore their ship's remnants? I don't think so.
Besides, something tells me those watches will bring you bad luck...never wear them when you travel, especially on cruises.
jason,
Too soon, man. Too soon. Maybe something made out of rubble from the FBI HQ in Oklahoma City, though. In fact, I may have spoken too soon. I gotta stop giving out these money making ideas for free.
"Honor those that perished, by owning your piece of American-changing history today."
Oh, wait. That bombing didn't actually change America. Why was that?
Now I'm just rambling. Sorry. Just go back to what I said in the first place. We need to let that ship rest.
I was pretty sure that it was illegal to remove anything other than the coal from the Titanic site...isn't it?
@Iportwineboy: It's pretty hard to enforce laws, if any, in international waters.
Where do people get these ideas... tasteless.
Yeah, it sounds nice...
And then one day you reach into the freezer for some Americone Dream and slice your arm open on an ice cube.
According to the Reuters article, they didn't steal it. The three pound mass of metal that they used to make the watches was taken in early diving expeditions in 1991, and they had bought it to sell specifically to rich folk. From the article: "So many rich people buy incredibly complicated watches without understanding how they work, because they want a story to tell," he said. "To them we offer a story."
A museum could have bought the pieces, but apparently they didn't.
I'm King of the worrrrrrrllllllld!
They're dead. Who cares? I'd like a watch made of dead Titanic-people's bones. That'd be so freaking sweet.
Seriously I was laughing so hard at this and then I realized that I was a bad person. Oh well.
Can I order a "Titanic-DNA" watch with a real face and hands?
Jeez! What a bunch of scumbags.
This reminds me one of those LG MP3 player advertising where it uses the World Trade Center to sell their products... except this particular product capitalizes actual tragic remnants.
I expect more than 70 posts in the next 24 hours.
It was BenQ not LG
@js
that was BenQ with the mp3 player.
do some research :)
aye, u got me :P
There's a company called Krone that does this with limited-edition fountain pens. You can get bits of real DNA, presumably synthesized from hair samples, of long dead authors and celebrities.
It's an absolutely absurd appeal to rich people with more money than sense.
wow violating International treaty! Did the engadget reporter bother to mention that bringing up parts of the titanic without written permission, and for profit is strickly forbidden?
I think the point that needs to come across is that it's always "too soon." This kind of exploitation and voyeurism should not happen in 10 years, 100, or 1,000. It is insulting to the memories of those who died on the Titanic to do this, and would be equally insulting to assume that eventually this kind of thing will become acceptable.
you would think Fossil would have though of this first...
How about some 28-degree North Atlantic Salt ???
In twenty-minutes...you are frozen to death !!!
It is a beautiful watch. I did not find this watch on the portal I use, but if you readers want to check out fine watches like this one. check out: http://www.vialuxe.com/Brands.html
Thought I will share with you the portal I found.
Cheers
I think I seen a review of this watch at http://www.luxifina.com. It's tough to get your hands on.