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The Cartier Santos Dumont Watch
Alberto Santos-Dumont
portrait of a man of today
This aviation pioneer was one of a brilliant line of men who changed the world through independence and perseverance.
A watch that made history
The Santos-Dumont de Cartier is not just any watch. Quite simply, it is one of the first men's wristwatches in history, born of an encounter between watchmaking and aviation. In 1904, Louis Cartier created this model for his friend Alberto Santos-Dumont, a famous Brazilian aviator and pioneer, who had told him how difficult it was to tell the time in flight with a pocket watch.
With this original, functional design, Cartier revolutionized men's watchmaking by creating a watch that could be worn on the wrist, making it easy to tell the time in any situation. This visionary gesture gave birth to one of Cartier's most emblematic and timeless watches, the Cartier Santos.
His meeting with Louis Cartier in 1900 catalyzed their desire for progress. In 1901, the aviator explained to his friend how difficult it was to read the time on a pocket watch in flight. Three years later, Louis Cartier revolutionized watchmaking by creating the first modern wristwatch for his friend.
1904, Louis Cartier fulfilled the wish of his friend, the famous Brazilian aviator Santos Dumont: to tell the time in flight. Thus was born one of the first wristwatches. Its geometric shape and visible screws were the hallmarks of a watch that was soon to become one of the company's watchmaking icons. From that moment on, the Santos watch became a classic on which time has no hold.
Iconic, elegant design
The Santos-Dumont de Cartier is distinguished by its square case with rounded corners, inspired by the architecture of the Eiffel Tower and the metal rivets visible on the flying machines of the time. This bold design combines geometric shapes and finesse of proportion, with clean, sober lines.
Characteristic elements include :
-A silvered or colored dial adorned with Roman numerals and the traditional minute track
-Blued sword-shaped hands, a timeless Cartier signature
-A circular-grained crown set with a sapphire or spinel cabochon
The Santos-Dumont can be worn with either a refined leather strap or a metal bracelet, adapting to the most classic styles as well as contemporary looks.
Santos-Dumont: a watch for elegant adventurers
For over a century, the Cartier Santos-Dumont has embodied the spirit of pioneers and daring elegance. It has stood the test of time without losing its modernity, remaining true to its original design while incorporating contemporary watchmaking advances.
Recent collections retain this emblematic aesthetic, while offering cases in steel, rose gold, yellow gold or platinum, and limited editions paying tribute to the aviator. Its ultra-flat profile and light weight make it the ideal watch for those seeking discreet, timeless elegance.
Santos-Dumont is also appreciated by connoisseurs and celebrities the world over, seduced by its unique heritage and timeless sophistication.
A living legend of watchmaking
Porter une Santos-Dumont de Cartier, c’est revendiquer un héritage, celui de l’innovation, de l’élégance et de l’aventure. C’est aussi affirmer un goût pour les objets qui ont du sens, où le design et l’histoire se rencontrent dans une harmonie parfaite.
To wear a Cartier Santos-Dumont is to assert a heritage of innovation, elegance and adventure. It's also about affirming a taste for meaningful objects, where design and history meet in perfect harmony.
Découvrez la collection Santos-Dumont de Cartier
Explorez la collection Cartier sur notre site et laissez-vous séduire par leurs montres légendaires. Retrouvez également nos sélections de montres Cartier pour homme et montres Cartier pour femme ainsi que d’autres modèles iconiques comme la Tank ou la Ballon Bleu de Cartier.
Explore the Cartier collection on our site and let yourself be seduced by their legendary watches. Find also our selections of Cartier watches for men and Cartier watches for women as well as other iconic models like the Tank or the Cartier Ballon Bleu.