Understated, pared-down and fitted to an alligator leather strap - grey, black or blue depending on the version, the new Santos-Dumont watch remains true to the elegance of the original 1904 model. Cased in rose gold, rose gold and steel or all steel, it features Roman numerals, visible screws, a beaded winding crown and blue cabochon, all elements which perpetuate the heritage of this major watchmaking classic. Water-resistant to 30m, the three versions have a silvered satin-brushed dial with sunray effect and are available in two sizes : 38 x 27.5mm for the small model and 43.5 x 31.4mm for the large model.
Its unchanged square shape – reminiscent of the geometry popular in Paris at the time – promotes pure and symmetrical design to mirror the four sharp corners of the Eiffel Tower. By symbolising the design revolution of the early 1900s, it ran counter-current to contemporary codes, highlighting straight lines and breaking with the round cases of the period’s pocket watches. The pure, pared-down Santos-Dumont watch is a contemporary reflection of the style of Alberto Santos-Dumont: impeccably dressed for any occasion with his waistcoat, hat, wing collar, backwards facing flat cap and trousers with large turn-ups.
Alberto Santos-Dumont wore protective glasses and a bespoke jacket which linked cables connected to the rudder of his plane. Comfort and ease of use dictated his very personal style without detracting from his elegant allure in the slightest. The notion of practicality was therefore decisive in the history of the Santos-Dumont watch. In 2019, Cartier enhanced its ease of use by introducing a high-efficiency quartz movement with an autonomy of approximately six years – twice as long as traditional movements. To achieve this feat, Cartier reworked and resized the movement to reduce its energy consumption combining this with a new high-performance battery.
