The name Cartier needs no introduction. As one of the most influential and celebrated jewellery/watch brands of the last 100 years, it has always stood as a mark of luxury and desirability. Without taking away from its historical significance, I would say that when it comes to watches, Cartier has always been predominantly known as a ‘design’ brand rather than a pure watchmaking one, with stunningly iconic models such as the Tank, the Crash, and the Santos all seen as important due to how it looks. In fact, to this day, it is the beautiful and unconventional designs that attract collectors and it is a unique position in the watch brand hierarchy that no other possesses.
For those who do not know, the history of the Cartier Santos dates back to 1904, and it is one of Cartier’s oldest collections and one that is entirely dedicated to men. The collection was named after Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont who commissioned a watch from his friend Louis Cartier in 1904 to be worn while piloting his flying machines. The Cartier Santos is arguably the first men’s (and pilot) wristwatch to have ever been made. Designed from scratch to be worn on the wrist and not a converted pocket watch like most from its era, the Santos is undoubtedly a significant watch, not only for Cartier but also for the history of watchmaking in general. Since then, Cartier has been producing many different variations of the Santos.
Offered here today is a special Santos-Dumont limited edition crafted exclusively for the Chinese market. This variant showcases a captivating interplay of design elements, featuring an enticing 18-carat rose gold bezel that harmonizes seamlessly with the lush salmon dial. Both elements exude a warm coppery tone adorned with a sunburst pattern emanating from the center. Staying true to Cartier’s iconic design language, Roman numerals grace the outer dial, accompanied by a Chinese character ('Lù') at the 6 o'clock position and a resplendent jade cabochon crown on the side. For those not familiar with Mandarin, the Chinese character '陸' carries a dual meaning, symbolizing both the numerical "six" in bankers' notation and '大陸' (pronounced 'Da Lù'), translating to 'Mainland China'. A subtle yet meaningful little detail which adds a unique character to this limited edition.
Drawing parallels to the previously offered Santos-Dumont XL Limited Edition ‘Steel and Gold’, this particular example also commands a certain type of presence that is hard to describe in mere words. While I generally don't tend to gravitate towards two-tone watches, there's an inexplicable charm to this unconventional two-tone stainless steel and rose gold case combination, accentuated by the use of a beautiful jade green cabochon as its crown. There's an intriguing synergy in the colour tones produced by this particular combination, and I believe many Cartier enthusiasts would share my sentiment about the allure of this timepiece.
As far as case dimensions go, this Santos-Dumont wears nice and compact on the wrist, with a case measuring only 43.5mm x 31.4mm and houses Cartier’s in-house hand-wound Cal. 430 MC, a movement that is based on the ultra-thin (2.15mm) Piaget Cal. 430P which holds a power reserve of 36 hours.
Limited to only 300 pieces and offered only via Cartier Asia boutiques, the Santos-Dumont ‘China’ quietly commands attention with its unassuming yet undeniably distinctive overall aesthetic. Visually speaking, it just works. I am not sure how, but as you can see here; when all these elements come together, the end result is a stunningly elegant timepiece. Period.
