Romain Jerome Titanic DNA - Watch Collection Contains Actual Pieces of the Titanic

Merging history with technology, a collection of Romain Jerome watches is resurrecting a piece of 20^th Century infamy from the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. Known as Romain Jerom Titanic DNA, this collection of timepieces pays tribute to the ill-fated ocean liner by integrating authentic steel, rust and coal dust from the actual RMS Titanic into the bezel and dial, with modern ship-building sheet metal from the Harland & Wolff Shipyard, in Belfast, Ireland, where the Titanic was built over a century ago.

In April 1912, the Titanic was the world´s largest passenger liner. It was billed as "unsinkable", but four days into its maiden voyage from Southampton, England to New York City, an iceberg downed the ship, resulting in 1,517 deaths, more than half of its passengers. To mark the 100th Anniversary of one of the worst peacetime maritime disasters in history, Romain Jerome produced a limited 2,012 Titanic DNA watches. The distinctive rusted steel bezel was created by the blending of original steel from the hull of the Titanic and the modern steel plate. Each watch comes with a certificate of authenticity from the Harland & Wolff Shipyard. Through a unique and well-guarded procedure developed by Romain Jerome watchmakers, oxidation is halted, preventing further deterioration of the original Titanic steel.

Another Romain Jerome exclusive process makes possible the application of coal dust to the dial of the watch. Salvaged from the Titanic´s boiler room, 3,840 meters under the sea, the coal dust creates a deep black texture. Other Titanic-inspired features comprise hands shaped like an anchor and numerals characteristic of steam pressure gauges. The Romain Jerom Titanic DNA collection includes the Automatic and Steampunk mechanical self-winding movement watches; the Chronograph mechanical self-winding chronograph watches; and the Tourbillons mechanical manual-winding tourbillon movement watches. They are offered in black PVD-coated steel or red gold cases, with black rubber or Hornback crocodile straps. Also available are fountain and rollerball pens, fashioned after ship mechanisms and containing original Titanic steel.

The Romain Jerome Titanic DNA collection is part of the company´s high-end watch compilation, known as "DNA of Famous Legends," the brainchild of designer Yvan Arpa. Founded in 2004 in Geneva, Switzerland, the company touts its vision: A celebration of history on the wrist. Revered by collectors, prices range from $7,800 to $173,000. Other industry-first collections include dust from the moon and ash from an Icelandic volcano, allowing owners to possess an authentic piece of history.