Titanic’s forgotten treasure: Black glass necklace is recovered

It was probably owned by one of the 1,517 souls who lost their life when RMS Titanic sunk. 

Perhaps it was a treasured keepsake or a good luck charm given by a family member, friend or lover. 

Whoever it belonged to, experts say this black glass necklace is one of the rarest artefacts ever to be recovered from the Titanic wreck.    

Described as a delicate survivor of ‘a disaster, time and nature’, it features black glass heart-shaped and octagonal beads woven in an intricate pattern. 

It was extracted from the wreck by RMS Titanic Inc – the only entity legally permitted to remove items from the famous ship’s remains. 

‘This necklace is a powerful reminder that every artefact tells a personal story,’ said Tomasina Ray, president and director of collections of RMS Titanic Inc.

‘From the craftsmanship to the materials, it offers a once-in-a-lifetime glimpse into the style, sentiment, and everyday life of Titanic’s passengers. 

‘Our meticulous conservation efforts allow us to protect and share those stories with the world.’ 

The newly conserved necklace was found and recovered in individual pieces and small fragments during an expedition back in 2000 – after nearly a century underwater. 

It was located in a 15-square-mile field of debris near what remains of the front half of the ship (the bow) and the back half (the stern). 

Researchers say it had to be carefully and painstakingly extracted from a hard, solid mass on the seafloor called a ‘concretion’. 

This was formed from several objects being physically and chemically fused due to the environmental conditions and immense pressure about 12,500 feet deep.

‘At first, there were lose beads, and then little bits of sting, and that sting led to more beads, until we slowly unwound fragments of this necklace that were still strung together,’ said Ms Ray. 

‘Bead after bead led to another. It is a delicate survivor of a disaster, time and nature, but it speaks to human perseverance.’ 

It’s unclear whether there’s any indication to whom the necklace belonged, but they likely perished in the tragedy. 

As bodies of the victims gradually disintegrated over the many decades, personal artefacts such as this one have been left behind. 

There’s also a chance the necklace belonged to one of the survivors, who somehow became separated from the object in the chaos. 

Experts claim the object gives a deeper understanding of the fashion of 1912, reflecting fashion trends and mourning customs of the time. 

In 1912, black jewelry was often made from materials like French jet, a type of glass popularized during the Victorian Era for both its style and symbolism. 

In the 25 years since being brought back to land, the necklace has been pieced together, studied and conserved at the RMS Titanic Inc recovery lab. 

It’s now available for the public to view at the ‘Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition’ tourist attraction in Orlando, Florida, which has more than 300 artefacts, costumed actors, and full-scale recreations of Titanic’s rooms. 

The exhibition is also home to the second-largest artefact ever recovered, a two-ton section of Titanic’s starboard hull, appropriately called Little Piece. 

RMS Titanic Inc has now recovered more than 5,500 authentic artefacts over nine expeditions spanning nearly four decades. 

‘Each conservation effort reflects a deep commitment to honoring the lives lost and sharing their stories through Titanic’s material legacy,’ it said in a statement.  

The famous liner tragically sank in the early hours of April 15, 1912 after a collision with an iceberg, killing an estimated 1,517 of the 2,224 people on board.

Titanic broke in half just before it made its final plunge in the early hours of April 15, 1912, and now two parts of the ship lie 2,600 feet apart.  

The stern is a twisted mess of metal after it hit the ocean floor still rotating in a counter-clockwise direction, while the V-shaped bow is more recognisable, complete with railings, although much of it is buried under mud due to the force of impact. 

Both halves are surrounded by a field of debris consisting of bits of metal, pieces of furniture, unopened champagne bottles and even passengers’ shoes. 

The wreck wasn’t located until September 1, 1985 – a discovery that made global headlines and regenerated interest in the disaster.