It’s a moment many thought would never come. After more than 100 years underwater, a rare and haunting relic from the Titanic has been restored to its former glory. This piece of history, once lost to the depths of the North Atlantic, was carefully unearthed by a team of dedicated conservators who painstakingly worked to preserve it.
The Black Glass Necklace, revealed on June 17, 2025, at the Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition Orlando, marks a significant moment for Titanic researchers and enthusiasts alike. Discovered in pieces during a 2000 expedition to the ship’s wrecksite, the necklace had remained hidden within the wreck for over a century, its true form a mystery until now.
A Hidden Story Unfolds
The necklace was found encased in a concretion—a hard, solid mass formed when various objects at the wrecksite became fused under immense pressure and the extreme conditions of the ocean floor.
As the team carefully removed the concretion layer by layer, they uncovered the intricately woven necklace, made of black glass heart-shaped and octagonal beads. The beads, some small and delicate, others larger and more striking, revealed a detailed and complex design that would have been lost to time had the artifact not been found.
“We recovered a concretion, and this is something where materials on the sea floor kind of fuse together over time and create almost a rock around some artifacts,” said Tomasina Ray, president and director of collections at RMS Titanic, Inc., in a video marking the necklace’s unveiling. “Upon closer inspection, you could see little black hearts sticking out of it.”
Preserving a Piece of History
The necklace was recovered during a 2000 expedition led by RMS Titanic, Inc., which has been at the forefront of Titanic’s underwater exploration. After being recovered, the necklace was conserved through a meticulous work process, involving delicate manual work to carefully remove the concretion. This process allowed the experts to trace each bead and bead thread, unwinding the necklace piece by piece until its original form was fully revealed.
“It’s a very careful, tedious but rewarding process because in the end you’re left with something beautiful,” said Ray. Her description encapsulates the painstaking efforts of the conservators who worked tirelessly to preserve this priceless artifact. The conservation team’s work was a labor of patience, as each bead had to be freed without causing damage to the fragile glass.
The Necklace’s Legacy on Display
Now, the Black Glass Necklace is proudly displayed at the Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition Orlando, offering a rare glimpse into the lives of those who once sailed on the ill-fated ship.
The exhibition, open seven days a week, allows visitors to experience this and other recovered artifacts from the Titanic firsthand. Through such pieces, the exhibition continues to bring Titanic’s tragic history to life for a modern audience, ensuring that these stories and the artifacts that hold them remain a powerful reminder of the disaster’s lasting legacy. Tickets can be purchased here.
This necklace, now restored, is more than just a piece of jewelry. It’s a symbol of the lives and stories lost that fateful night in 1912, offering a glimpse into the past that few have had the chance to see.
