Santos de Cartier

Louis Cartier, the grandson of the founder and the head of Cartier’s Paris branch, designed and manufactured the first wristwatch in 1904. It was at the behest of his friend, the inventor and valiant aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont. This Brazilian aircraft designer, like Cartier and their contemporary Gustave Eiffel, was one of the true visionaries of his times. He longed for a watch on his wrist, one that he could use when piloting his flying machines.

He immediately saw the attraction of the watch Louis Cartier presented to him. It immediately became the centre of attraction in the higher echelons of society. Just as it has today, it had a square case with eight small screws and a distinctive blue sapphire crown. Over the last century this model has undergone a number of design modifications, however, its DNA remains as strong as ever. During the latest transformation, the design studio focused on comfort, correct proportions and ergonomics. The redesign of the case only enhanced its synergy with the strap. Its elegant lines show off its unmistakable dynamics to a tee.

Most popular models

Cartier Santos-Dumont Watch W2SA0017
239,000 Kč
On request
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Cartier Santos de Cartier Watch WSSA0047
220,000 Kč
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Cartier Santos de Cartier WSSA0062
211,000 Kč
In stock
0 pcs
Cartier Santos de Cartier WSSA0063
193,000 Kč
On request
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Something more…

When Louis Cartier introduced the Santos watch to the Parisian market in 1911, his brothers Pierre and Jacques asked him if they could also sell it in their boutiques in New York and London. This led to specific models emerging for each market. For example, the British one, hypermodern, was in a Bakelite case with a ruby crown, whilst the American one was longer with sharper edges.
 

Santos-Dumont

Not so long ago, the Cartier brand launched the Santos-Dumont line. They are equipped with highly autonomous quartz movements that will keep on running for up to six years. In 2020, it came up with the XL version powered by a mechanical calibre. After the designers’ latest tinkering the watch has a more purist form whilst also being more affordable. Nevertheless, the watch has remained true to its original appearance, how else with this well-known icon, and is produced in various case sizes. Of course, the secret Cartier inscription at the foot of the Roman numeral has remained. However, the inner guilloche frame has moved to the dial’s perimeter. The case is made of steel, bicolour or gold; as always it is accompanied by a leather strap that can be changed with ease and a folding clasp.

 

Santos 100 

At first glance the watch looks similar to the classic Santos de Cartier watch. On the second take you will notice several subtle differences. The first is a crown that has retained the shape of a heptagon, but it lacks a jewel in the shape of a cabochon. The second is the inscription Automatic on the dial. However, the main modification is it is even more waterproof, which has increased from the usual 30 m to 100 metres. This means that the Santos 100 can not only withstand hand washing and showering, but also swimming.


 
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