bˈɪlt ɪnðə hˈɑːɹlənd ænd wˈʊlff jˈɑːɹdz ɪn bˈɛlfæst ˌʌndɚ hˈʌl nˈʌmbɚ θɹˈiːhˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi sˈɛvən, ʃiː wʌz lˈɑːntʃt ɪn bˈɛlfæst ˌɔn twˈɛnti wˈʌn ˈɔːɡəst nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd tˈuː, ɪn ɐ pɹˈaɪvət sˈɛɹᵻməni wˌɪtʃ ɪŋklˈuːdᵻd sˈɛvɹəl ɡˈɛsts, ɐmˌʌŋst ˈʌðɚz wˈɪljəm pˈɜːɹi, ðə tʃˈɛɹmən ʌv hˈɑːɹlənd ænd wˈʊlff ænd bɹˈuːs ˈɪsmeɪ, tʃˈɛɹmən ʌv wˈaɪt stˈɑːɹ lˈaɪn.
Built in the Harland & Wolff yards in Belfast under hull number 337, she was launched in Belfast on 21 August 1902, in a private ceremony which included several guests, amongst others William Pirrie, the chairman of Harland and Wolff and Bruce Ismay, chairman of White Star Line.