The name Cartier needs no introduction. As one of the most influential and celebrated jewellery and watch brands of the last 100 years, it has always stood as a mark of luxury and desirability. Without taking away from its historical significance, I would say that when it comes to watches, Cartier has always been predominantly known as a ‘design’ brand rather than a pure watchmaking one, with stunningly iconic models such as the Tank, the Crash, and the Santos all seen as important due to how it looks. In fact, to this day, it is the beautiful and unconventional designs that attract collectors and it is a unique position in the watch brand hierarchy that no other brand possesses.
For those who do not know, the history of the Cartier Santos dates back to 1904, one of Cartier’s oldest collections and one that is entirely dedicated to men. The collection was named after Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont who commissioned a watch from his friend Louis Cartier in 1904 to be worn while piloting his flying machines. The Cartier Santos is arguably the first men’s (and pilot) wristwatch ever made. Designed from scratch to be worn on the wrist and not a converted pocket watch like most from its era, the Santos is undoubtedly a significant watch for Cartier and the history of watchmaking in general. Since then, Cartier has been producing many different variations of the Santos.
What we have here today is not your typical Santos though; this is the Santos 'Carrée', which translates to "square" in French. Introduced during the late 1970s, it marked Cartier's transition to offering a more accessible stainless steel sports watch. The Carrée became famous for its unique square-shaped case, becoming somewhat of an icon during the 1980s and significantly contributing to Cartier's appeal among younger audiences. To add to this, our example offered here is perhaps one of the most sought-after and a rarer variant of the Santos Carrée: the Ref. 2960, featuring a slate grey dial and fitted with an exceptionally uncommon and stunning Godron bracelet.
Beginning with its stainless steel case, its construction is as elegant as it gets, measuring a modest 29mm x 41mm in dimensions and featuring a myriad of brushed surfaces complemented with beveled edges, as well as a winding crown adorned with Cartier’s signature sapphire cabochon, flanked by a set of crown guards. For this particular reference, its vertically-brushed slate grey dial tends to develop a subtle ghosted appearance over time as observed in our example, making the gold ‘Cartier’ logo at the 12 o’ clock position and the 'Swiss' marking at the 6 nearly invisible under certain lighting conditions. A discreet date window with a white contrasting wheel sits at 3 o’ clock accompanied by a set of silver épée (sword) hands that perfectly complement the overall aesthetic. As previously mentioned, our example also comes fitted with a rare Godron bracelet, which, according to scholarly sources, was inspired by the Eiffel Tower’s architecture and was only available by special order for one year during the mid-1980s.
Powering this Ref. 2960 from within is the self-winding Cartier Cal. 077 derived from the ETA Cal. 2671. As far as power reserve goes, the Cal. 077 can hold a charge of up to 42 hours upon a full wind.
Amidst the ongoing resurgence of neo-vintage Cartier pieces, the Santos Carrée Ref. 2960 undoubtedly stands out as a hidden gem from the 1980s, a period just before Cartier predominantly transitioned to the mass production of watches with quartz movements. It is arguably one of the most coveted Santos references to own and would effortlessly complement any serious collector’s watch box and daily rotation.
