Santos de Cartier

Conquer the skies, lift ones spirits and fight the force of gravity: the daring legacy of aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont soars over the new Santos de Cartier collections.<br /> They perpetuate the spirit, style and thirst for altitude held by men who change the world, just like Alberto Santos-Dumont.

Simplicity. Practicality. Innovation. These were the three major principles of Alberto Santos-Dumont, the aviation pioneer who ordered the first modern wristwatch from Louis Cartier in 1904.
Its wrist-mounted position meant it could be consulted during flight.

Its pure design, square dial with intentionally visible screws,
and ergonomic strap that encouraged free movement immediately revealed its forward-thinking nature.

It is the watch of a man who set his sights high, designed over
22 flying machines, presented countless patent applications and risked his life during every test flight. A man who donated part of his profits to charity and who invented a practical yet elegant wardrobe.

A HOMAGE TO THE HISTORICAL MODEL

Understated, pared-down and fitted to an alligator leather strap, the new Santos-Dumont watch remains true to the elegance of the original 1904 model. Cased in gold, gold and steel or all steel, it features Roman numerals, visible screws, a beaded winding crown and blue cabochon, all elements which perpetuate the heritage of this major watchmaking classic.

Its unchanged square shape – reminiscent of the geometry popular in Paris at the time – promotes pure and symmetrical design to mirror the four sharp corners of the Eiffel Tower. By symbolising the design revolution of the early 1900s, it ran counter-current to contemporary codes, highlighting straight lines and breaking with the round cases of the period’s pocket watches.

THIN AND STYLISH CONSTRUCTION

The pure, pared-down Santos-Dumont watch is a contemporary reflection of the style of Alberto Santos-Dumont: impeccably dressed for any occasion with his waistcoat, hat, wing collar, backwards facing flat cap and trousers with large turn-ups.

HIGH-AUTONOMY QUARTZ MOVEMENT

Alberto Santos-Dumont wore protective glasses and a bespoke jacket which linked cables connected to the rudder of his plane. Comfort and ease of use dictated his very personal style without detracting from his elegant allure in the slightest.

The notion of practicality was therefore decisive in the history of the Santos-Dumont watch. In 2019, Cartier enhanced its ease of use by introducing a high-efficiency quartz movement with an autonomy of approximately six years – twice as long as traditional movements. To achieve this feat, the Cartier Manufacture reworked and resized the movement to reduce its energy consumption combining this with new high-performance battery.