Santos de Cartier – The epitome of style
26.5.2023
The Cartier Santos watch collection (officially called Santos de Cartier) began in 1904, when Louis Cartier, a well-known French watch and jewelry designer, created the first men’s wristwatch intended for use on an airplane. The inspiration and recipient of the watch was Louis Cartier’s good friend, Brazilian pilot and aviation inventor Alberto Santos-Dumont.
Initially, Santos-Dumont had complained to Cartier that he had trouble checking his watch while in flight. This inspired Louis Cartier to design a wristwatch that was both functional and stylish. Thus, the Santos watch was born, designed to meet the needs of Santos-Dumont.
The first Santos watch had a clear and easy-to-read dial, a large seconds hand and a stylish strap made of leather. It was also the first watch model with a square face, which distinguished it from the round watches typical of the era.
The Santos watch soon became popular with Cartier customers and was officially introduced in 1911. The watch collection was very popular with both men and women and established Cartier’s reputation as a manufacturer of sophisticated and innovative timepieces. The collection became popular with the general public in 1978, when Cartier introduced the steel Santos to the market, which was used to target and reach younger consumers who value sportiness with a more affordable price range.
The epitome of style
The Santos watch collection is strongly up to date, offering different material options from steel to gold, as well as perhaps the most stylish option for combinations of these. As a historical detail, with the Santos, Cartier was one of the first watch models in the watch industry to combine steel and gold.
There are several size categories in the Santos de Cartier collection, so there is a suitable option for both men’s and women’s wrists. The Santos collection uses quartz, hand-wound and automatic movements. Thanks to the patented quick-change mechanism, the Santos bracelet can be changed without tools and the style can be changed from sporty to elegant on the fly, and vice versa.
The Santos watch collection has become known for its combination of classic elegance and a sporty look. It represents Cartier’s long tradition of producing quality and stylish timepieces, and has maintained its position as one of the most significant watch brands in the world.
Price, quality and history go hand in hand
You can get hold of the Santos de Cartier collection for less than five thousand euros, in which case quartz models with steel cases are available. The price level of steel & gold models starts from around six thousand and upwards, and the prices of mechanical watch models from around two thousand euros upwards.
