Collecting watches is not an inexpensive hobby by any reasonable measurement. Unlike buying a new pack of baseball cards or buying newly issued stamps and coins, most luxury watches are going to easily cost well above the $1,000 level. It is also quite easy to go upwards of $10,000 and much higher price points if a budget allows for it.

One unique watch collection that has seen considerable coverage over the last decade is the Romain Jerome “Titanic-DNA” watches. The collections were made from recovered hull steel of the infamous RMS Titanic ocean liner which sunk in 1912. The limited edition watches were already priced in the luxury watch category in 2012, and as the ten-year mark is approaching it is worth investigating how the prices look now and how they might hold up over time.

Collectors Dashboard evaluates collectibles as an alternative asset class. This is where the capital used to purchase high-end collectibles could have otherwise been used to buy stocks, bonds or real estate. Collectibles have also lured investors solely to make a profit on the exact same asset that may be sought after by a collector who has a deep passion to own the exact same asset.

The Titanic-DNA watches have limited production to appeal to the scarcity factor in collectibles, and the tragic 100-plus year story of the RMS Titanic also should keep interest (demand) high. And while the Titanic’s story of which c

One aspect that is true for any investment is that there are no assurances that a buyer will make a profit in the future. Similar to some stocks or other investments, some collectibles may even lose most of their value in time. It is presumable that watches with price tags of $5,000 or $10,000 (or much more) will continue to have some value in the years ahead. After all, a watch is not built for consumption. Some watches hold their value better than others, and some watches can appreciate handily over time.

Romain Jerome’s Titanic-DNA collection came with a unique story. The Geneva-based watchmaker had purchased a 1.5 kilogram piece of the Titanic’s hull which had been retrieved from the Atlantic Ocean back in 1991. The metal that would then be used to manufacture the Titanic-DNA collection was also given an authentic certification by the Titanic’s builders, the Belfast, Ireland-based Harland and Wolff.

The watch collection was originally offered for sale in prices ranging from about $7,800 to more than $173,000 with the alloy created using the slab from the Titanic’s hull. The steel was also reported to be used in a Harland and Wolff replica of the ship.

While some watchmakers have a similar look and feel to others, the Romain Jerome’s RJ label and designs stand out from other luxury watches. The group has made many limited edition watches and collaborations from the likes of Marvel, DC, Pac-Man, and so on. And to also have a unique offering, the RJ brand as it is known now has also created a “Moon Dust” offering.

The RJ brand classified its Titanic DNA under its Steampunk line of watches wit varying watches using gold, platinum and steel with black dial faces of lacquer paint that also was said to includes coal which had been recovered from the Titanic’s debris field. The limited edition watches were issued to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the Titanic’s doomed voyage, and many of these watched have changed hands over the last decade.

A 2020 Fellows auction in England for one of the 100 watches from the Titanic-DNA Steampunk Auto had been given the equivalent pre-sale estimate of (U.S.) $4,680 to $7,280 ahead of the event according to the WatchPro site.

The website 1stDibs also had two offerings in the Titanic-DNA search. The first was listed as the Romaine Jerome Titanic DNA Stainless Steel offering for $8,455 and the second was the Romain Jerome Titanic DNA 14 Karat Gold (37 of 500) listed for a $24,000 price. The site also listed a prior sale with an offering price of $24,995 as “sold” for a Romain Jerome Titanic-DNA Limited Edition Watch TO.T.OXY3.11BB.R.OO listing.

The Chrono24.com website also was last showing multiple Titanic-DNA offerings with 22 listings inside the United States starting at $4,500 on the lower-end and moving on up to $75,000 and $87,499 on the high-end.

Heritage Auctions had one Romain Jerome Titanic DNA Chrono Oxy Steel Limited Edition Wristwatch (25/2012) sell back in November 2012 for a price of $8,750 at that time — and the same model search on Chrono24 (above) showed nearly identical watches offered from $8,000 to almost $10,000.

Online auction giant eBay hosted a listing of a Romain Jerome Titanic DNA Octopus Stainless Steel Black Watch (RJ.T.AU.DI.001.01) for $4,690.00 (or Best Offer) and that had been represented as having a $13,950 retail price for the black-out watch. eBay also recently had three Buy It Now options from $20,000 to $25,000 and the high-end Romain Jerome T-Oxy III Ultimate Tourbillon Titanic-DNA (with Red-Bronze Numerals and the Rusted Steel Bezel) listed at $175,000 with the “or Best Offer” notation. eBay also listed one Romain Jerome RMS Titanic Watch which was listed as sold on Apr 29, 2021 for $5,500.00 after 1 bid.

The website Shopworn.com also had listed a Romain Jerome Titanic-DNA Steampunk Chronograph Automatic Men’s Watch RJ.T.CH.SP.005.01 (black and red) at $6,250 (or 66% off the $18,500 retail price).

Forecasting watch prices is not exactly a simple science. What has been seen so far is that the luxury Romain Jerome Titanic-DNA are still selling at luxury watch prices nearly a decade after their release. As for other lines of Romain Jerome (or RJ) watches, you just do not find these for sale even in used condition for anything less than luxury prices.