Live from this edition of Watches and Wonders 2024, dear friends of IWS, in this article we want to tell you about the news in the Cartier house regarding the historic and iconic Santos collection. The collection is declined nowadays in two different groups, Santos de Cartier and Santos Dumont, which have been enriched by the French maison with eight new models. Let’s go now to discover, within this article, all the details of these fantastic (and I would say very successful) new watches.
New Cartier Santos Dual Time
Four entirely new models are added to the collection designed in 1904 by Louis Cartier for Brazilian pilot Alberto Santos-Dumont.
Starting with what was the most interesting first novelty, we find the Santos de Cartier Dual Time, a Santos that allows you to measure time in two different places at the same time. Made with a steel case in a large version, measuring 40.2 x 47.5 mm, below the sapphire crystal we find a fantastic satin-finished anthracite gray dial with a soleil effect.
Above this element, in addition to the time and date display (through the window at 3 o’clock), we find a counter at 6 o’clock that allows the display of a second time zone along with a day and night indicator. Like the other steel Santos De Cartier, the polygonal crown adorned with a blue synthetic stone also stands out, lending an extra touch of elegance to this watchmaking icon.
Powering this new watch from the house of Cartier, we find an automatic caliber inside the case a case with a reduced thickness of 10.1 mm. Accompanied by a steel bracelet, this timepiece features the patented QuickSwitch system consisting of an invisible mechanism that becomes one with the architecture of the case. Thanks to this “function,” you can conveniently and quickly change the bracelet, with a strap, without the need to have any tools with you.
The Santos De Cartier catalog has seen the addition of another time-only variant, with date display, also made in grade size. This is the new Santos with a steel case and yellow gold bezel, a perfect match for the anthracite gray satin-finished soleil-effect dial.
Like the dual time model, the iconic gladius-shaped hands also stand out on this new version. Inside the case measuring 39.8 x 47.5 mm and measuring 9.4 mm thick, we find the self-winding caliber 1847 MC.
Finally, the Santos De Cartier collection has been enriched by two models of the same configuration but different sizes. Both made with a steel case and bracelet, these two new models in large (39.8 x 47.5 mm) and medium (35.1 x 41.9 mm) sizes feature a beautiful brown gradient satin-finished sunburst dial. Like the other two models, here too we find an automatic caliber bringing the watches to life (1847 MC) and the “QuickSwitch” system for changing straps.
The New Cartier Santos Dumont
The Santos Dumont collection, for which I have had a soft spot for some time now, also sees the addition of four new models that I dare say are one more beautiful than the other. Starting with the one I would call the most interesting because of the particular way it works, Cartier presented, in a limited edition of 200 pieces, the Santos-Dumont Rewind.
Looking at the watch, at first glance it may seem that there is nothing “strange” about it. Focusing more closely on the red carnelian dial, however, one may notice that the Roman numeral hour markers are reversed and continue counterclockwise.
The challenge Cartier wanted to take on, in homage to the inspiration of pilot Albero Santos-Dumont, was to create a watch capable of marking time precisely counterclockwise, by means of the characteristic “pomme evidée” hands.
This is all thanks to the manual mechanical reverse-winding movement, 230 MC, encased inside the platinum case measuring 31.5 x 43.5 mm and with a very small thickness of 7.3 mm. Prominent on the case, at 3 o’clock, is the crown adorned with a cabochon ruby (an element that denotes the collection’s platinum cases).
Also in keeping with tradition, Alberto Santos-Dumont’s double signature can be seen above the case back shown in a mirrored manner, echoing the magical and dreamlike theme of the watch.
In addition to this fantastic model, which the entire collecting world is already talking about, Cartier has unveiled three colored Santos Dumonts that pay homage to the elegance inherited from Alberto Santos-Dumont himself.
These are three variants in olive green and platinum, peacock blue and rose gold, and dove gray and yellow gold, all three of which are covered with a thin layer of lacquer sanded and polished by hand above the bezel. On the dial of these three watches, Arabic numeral hour markers stand out along with sword-shaped hands.
Like the Santos-Dumont Rewind, the olive green version will also be limited to only 200 pieces worldwide. Powering these three new watches is the mechanical hand-wound caliber 430 MC encased in a case thickness of only 7.3 mm.
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