The new Santos de Cartier watch stays true to this original philosophy by reflecting the innovative, everchanging spirit of its own age. In updating this timepiece, the design studios focused on comfort, intelligent proportions and respect for the Santos aesthetic. The square shape remains unchanged. It echoes the refinement and symmetry of Parisian geometry of the era, as extolled in the four angular corners of the Eiffel Tower. In giving preference to straight lines, this transgressive shape represented a break with traditional rounded watch shapes. Also unchanged are the eight screws on the bezel: this functional hardware is a miniature tribute to the proliferation of mechanical steel structures associated with a golden age of urban architecture. Here, Cartier dared to display a functional element that had been hitherto concealed.
The design of the bezel has been updated to favour the synergy between the lines of the case and the strap. These sleeker lines accentuate the stylistic dynamic of the watch. The watch is designed for a perfect fit on the wrist and has been precisely weighted and measured to optimise comfort and ergonomics.
The strap is the defining element in the history of the Santos de Cartier, the first modern wristwatch. The original strap was in leather, a totally new material in watchmaking, and left the wearer free of the restrictions of the pocket watch. The new Santos de Cartier watch features an innovative strap in keeping with the spirit of our time. The new strap caters to modern lifestyles and ease of movement, and can be tailored to suit any occasion according to the choice of materials and colours. Available in steel, gold, calfskin or alligator skin, all versions are interchangeable thanks to the Cartier QuickSwitch system (patent pending) hidden under the strap. This invisible mechanism blends into the structure of the case and, to activate the system, the wearer simply presses the mechanism.
Another cutting-edge feature is the SmartLink self-fitting technology (patent pending) which adjusts the length of the metal bracelet to the nearest link without the use of a tool. At the touch of a button located on each SmartLink, the attachment bar is unlatched and one of the brushed metal links with screws can be added or removed from the Santos de Cartier watch.
True to the constant quest for progress that spurred on every new venture for Alberto Santos-Dumont, the 1847 MC automatic calibre and the latest design of the Santos de Cartier watch are ever more ambitious in terms of performance and comfort. The calibre 1847 MC features anti-magnetic nickel phosphorus components in the escapement and movement mechanisms, as well as a shield made from a paramagnetic alloy, rendering the calibre effectively resistant to the powerful magnetic fields a watch may be exposed to in everyday life.
Thanks to the screw-down assembly design, the new Santos de Cartier offers waterresistance up to 10 bar (~100 meters) with minimal case thickness. The new Santos de Cartier watch has been assembled, calibrated and tested by the Cartier Manufacture workshops for resistance to variations in position, humidity, temperature, pressure, exposure to impact and acceleration, and to prevent these factors from interfering with the accuracy of the watch. The decisive final stage of quality control inspections is even more rigorous for the new Santos de Cartier watch. These quality controls are determined by the behaviour observed during the service life of a watch. The objective is to guarantee optimum levels of performance and reliability over the years.
