Titanic treasures: Precious jewels belonging to passengers of doomed ship go on public display for first time 100 years after disaster

As part of the 100th anniversary commemorating the sinking of the RMS Titanic, a spectacular collection of priceless jewels recovered from the bottom of the ocean is set to go on public display.
Most of the precious pieces found in the wreckage of the doomed ship will be made available for the first time ever with a three-city tour starting in Atlanta, Georgia.
The jewelry is from a single purser's bag found during a 1987 research and recovery mission.

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Sparkle: A platinum, 18 carat gold and diamond ring (left) that most probably belonged to one of the Titanic's first class passengers accompanies a sapphire and diamond piece for a 100th anniversary exhibit

The collection includes diamond and sapphire rings, brooches, necklaces, cuff links and a gold pocket watch.
Although single pieces of the jewelry have been on display at one or more permanent and traveling exhibits sponsored by Premier Exhibitions Inc., their Atlanta debut is the first time the majority of the collection has been available to the public.

Priceless: The jewellery was recovered from a purser's bag in a 1987 research mission

Dazzle: The collection of stunning necklaces, rings and other precious items will tour three cities starting in Atlanta and is the first time all the pieces have been made available for public viewing at once

In a nondescript industrial office in north Atlanta, Premier Exhibitions Inc. and RMS Titanic Inc. officials previewed the artifacts before they go on display Friday in Atlanta.
Exhibition company Premier is the parent of RMS Titanic, which owns the rights to salvage from the luxury liner's wreck on the bottom of the North Atlantic.
Alexandra Klingelhofer, vice president of collections for RMS Titanic Inc., said the purpose of the exhibit is to show the public the wonder of exploration.
'Going down two and a half miles below the ocean, recovering a bag, bringing it back up and opening it and finding ... jewelry,' Klingelhofer said. 'We're able to give them a glimpse of how it must have been to have opened that for the first time and to see, together, the beautiful jewelry of the Edwardian Period.'

History: The 'unsinkable' four-funnelled ship the RMS Titanic sets sail on April 10th, 2012 five days before it sank claiming the lives of more than 1,500 people

Remains: A spare anchor sits in its well on the forepeek of the shipwrecked Titanic two and half miles below the surface of the Atlantic

Her heart will go on: The prow of the HMS Titanic, as she lies on the Atlantic Ocean floor south of Newfoundland as pictured in 1985

Conservators and curators have been studying and preserving the jewelry to gain a better understanding of individual passengers' lives aboard the ill-fated voyage.

'Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition' opened in Atlanta earlier this year to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic on April 15, 1912. Klingelhofer said this jewelry mini-exhibit is being added to provide personal insight.
'We are constantly researching the artifacts, learning more about their story, and we thought jewelry is so beautiful and responds well to people,' she said.
After a two-month exhibit at Premier's display gallery at the Atlantic Station development, the jewels will travel to Orlando, Florida, and Las Vegas.