Having covered the enduringly popular Cartier Santos extensively, today certainly marks an exciting day as the world-famous French maison introduces a number of new models to its portfolio. This includes several exciting Santos de Cartier and Santos Dumont novelties, which are taking central stage this year in the form of new colour palettes – and even a couple of new complications.
On that note, let’s start by taking a look at what is likely Cartier’s star of the show for many attendees at this year’s Watches & Wonders trade fair in Geneva: the Santos de Cartier Dual Time watch. This large 40.2 x 47.5 x 10.1 mm timepiece features a dual time complication. For this special new piece, Cartier opt for a handsome yet muted colour scheme consisting of a satin-finish anthracite grey sunray-brushed dial, steel case, and matching anthracite strap.
The dual time complication’s subdial takes centre stage at 6 o’clock, displaying a second time zone via an additional hour hand. Cartier also integrate a day/night indicator, meaning that the traveller-friendly watch is easy to decipher around the clock. Furthermore, legibility remains at the forefront thanks to the inclusion of green luminescent material on the dial, flange, and hands, making this watch accessible at all hours. In addition, the inclusion of a date window at 3 o’clock makes this a pretty practical timepiece.
Despite its many useful functions, this watch remains a suave choice thanks to Cartier’s unfailingly elegant design codes. The wearer can adjust the various functions of the steel Santos de Cartier model via the heptagonal crown, which features the classic synthetic faceted blue spinal. Powering the watch and providing these functions is an automatic movement with a 48-hour power reserve and frequency of 4 Hz.
Last but not least, this pragmatic yet beautiful, understated model has a water resistance of 100 m. And here’s the good news: this watch is not a limited edition. The price of the Cartier Santos de Cartier Dual Time is 8,250 euros.
Three other Santos de Cartier models are also joining the collection. This includes two three-hand ‘Large’ models displaying the date at 6 o’clock, as well as a three-hand ‘Medium’ model without a date window.
Starting with the ‘Large’ models with dimensions of 39.8 x 47.5 mm, we have a bicolour (yellow-gold and steel) edition as well as a steel novelty. The bicolour edition showcases the same attractive anthracite grey sunray-brushed dial and matching anthracite strap as the aforementioned ‘Dual time’ model, and displays the time with the help of rhodium-finish polished steel sword-shaped hands. The bezel shines in yellow-gold, accentuating the distinctive form of the Santos de Cartier case.
By contrast, the ‘Large’ steel model marks the introduction of a chocolatey brown sunray-brushed dial. Indicating the time with rhodium-finish polished steel sword-shaped hands, this steel version is a little more sporty thanks to the addition of luminescent material. Using a ‘Quickswitch’ interchangeable system, the wearer may alternate between the classic steel bracelet with exposed screws, or a soft brown leather strap that nicely compliments the dial. This new addition to the Santos de Cartier collection definitely offers a cultivated and classy option that will no doubt, as all good luxury sports watches should, transition seamlessly from day to night.
That brings us with to the ‘Medium’ Santos de Cartier watch, with significantly smaller dimensions of 35.1 x 41.9 mm. This watch features the same brown dial, hands, and luminescence as its larger sibling, as well as the sporty steel case. Again, the wearer can once again switch between the steel bracelet or brown leather strap with folding steel buckle.
Despite the size difference and lack of date on the aforementioned model, both of the ‘Large’ models as well as the ‘Medium’ model house the calibre 1847 MC. This widely used movement, found in everything from a Cartier Ballon Bleu to Pasha, has a solid 42-hour power reserve and beats at a frequency of 4 Hz. All three watches are water-resistant to 100 m. Once again, these are not limited editions.
This brings us to the new Santos-Dumont watches, of which one particular highlight is the artsy Santos-Dumont Rewind. At first glance, the phenomenal burgundy (or as Cartier call it, ‘carnelian’) colour scheme of this platinum limited edition watch is the real highlight – but a closer look reveals the main appeal of this watch. A real gem for collectors, this limited edition of 200 pieces displays the time backwards.
Using the collection’s hallmark Roman numerals on the dial, the hour markers are inverted, meaning the time indicated at 11 o’clock actually indicates 1 o’clock using ‘I’, while the time shown at 1 o’clock is actually 11 o’clock and thus uses ‘XI’, and so on. Fair to say that this watch isn’t really one for those looking for quick and easy legibility. As is often the case with collector’s pieces, this watch turns the act of reading the time into something to be leisurely enjoyed, rather than something that simply performs a function. In line with this thinking, the watch indicates the time with the aid of two fine rhodium-finish steel apple-shaped hands.
Moving onto other aesthetics, the platinum Santos-Dumont Rewind has dimensions of 31.5 x 43.5 mm. The case, which features the model’s hallmark bezel with exposed screws, achieves water resistance to 30 m. In addition, the caseback features an engraving of Alberto Santos-Dumont’s signature. The watch also features a ruby cabochon set into the crown, which Cartier reserves exclusively for its platinum models. Appearing on a semi-matte dark brown alligator leather strap, the watch comes in a special lacquered wooden box with a palladium-finish motif and a grey Alcantara interior.
Last but not least, the Santos-Dumont Rewind owes its unusual layout to the mechanical calibre 230 MC, offering inverted rotation and manual winding. Thus, the hands turn counter-clockwise. To preserve the thin aesthetic of the case, instead of adding a new element into the calibre 230 MC, Cartier reworked the following elements of the calibre 430MC: the barrel, the escape wheel, the anchor, and the geometry of the barrel bridge, in order to accommodate a reverse pawl. With a power reserve of 40 hours and frequency of 3 Hz, the calibre 230 MC is now joining Cartier’s extensive portfolio of exciting and ever-innovative movements.
For those who like their time display presented clearly and simply – and preferably not back to front – Cartier is introducing three colourful 31.5 x 43.5 mm Santos-Dumont models in platinum, yellow-gold, and rose-gold. Unlike your typical Santos-Dumont, these watches indicate the time with not Roman, but rather Arabic numerals.
Cartier is introducing a second Santos-Dumont platinum model showcasing a satin-finish green dial with a matching olive-green lacquered bezel. In combination with a green alligator leather strap with a platinum ardillobn buckle and the zingy red ruby crown, this really is a stand-out piece. Like the Santos-Dumont Rewind, this special model unsurprisingly also has a limitation of only 200 pieces.
By contrast, the new yellow- and rose-gold editions are not limited pieces. Cartier combines the yellow-gold Santos-Dumont model a satin-finish grey sunray-brushed dial and taupe-grey lacquered bezel. This works nicely in combination with the glowing gold-plated steel sword-shaped hands and matching gold crown set with a blue sapphire. All in all, the watch looks luxurious, sophisticated, but still pleasingly contemporary.
Its rose-gold sibling is incredibly eye-catching thanks to the blue sunray-brushed dial and matching peacock-blue lacquered bezel. Matching rose-gold plated steel sword-shaped hands add to the opulence of this very attractive model, which is really one for the aesthetes out there above all else. Alongside the classic blue sapphire crown that perfectly compliments the dial, Cartier go the extra mile by adding yet more colour in the form of a matching blue alligator strap.
All three of these Cartier Santos novelties use the calibre 430 MC. This is the Cartier-branded version of Piaget 430P, and is essentially an ultra-thin manual-winding movement. Offering only hours and minutes, it has a 36-hour power reserve and beats at a frequency of 3 Hz. Historically speaking, we’ve also seen this calibre in several other collections, including past Tortue, Ballon Bleu, and indeed previous Santos-Dumont models.
All three of these Santos-Dumont models likewise feature an engraving of Alberto Santos-Dumont’s signature. The square cases, which are 7.3 mm in height, offer water resistance to 30 m.
