First launched in 2018 as a fresh and modern take on one of Cartier's many iconic models, the Santos De Cartier is an exciting timepiece that has recently undergone a well-deserved explosion in popularity. Debuting at SIHH, the Santos De Cartier revamped the Santos' design language tastefully to pay homage to the iconic history of the collection to which it belongs. With well over 100 years since the collection's inception in 1904, the Santos family has formed the bedrock of Cartier's aesthetic. As such, the Santos De Cartier has played an important role in popularising the brand in recent years.
While the variant launched in SIHH in 2018 featured a white dial, the example I have here is the ref. WSSA0013 with a stunning gradient blue dial. This watch features most of Cartier's signature design elements like their trademark Roman numerals and their classic railroad-style minute track within the boundary. Fading from a light blue to a dark navy along its periphery, this gorgeous dial, with its subtle radial brushed finishing, is sportier than Cartier's typical white dial, and more fitting with today's tastes.
Beyond its dial, the Santos De Cartier's construction is also thoroughly grounded in Cartier's typical design norms, with eight screws dotted along its polished stainless steel bezel and two polished screws on each of its brushed bracelet links. Furthermore, its case is a gently rounded square shape, as the Cartier Santos collection has championed over the decades.
Measuring 39.8mm across and relatively thin at 9.08mm, the Santos de Cartier retains Cartier's elegant design language beyond its aesthetics and into its physical construction that ensures it is an easy-to-wear watch that will be at home on most wrists. With a tasteful blend of satin and polished finishing throughout its stainless steel case, the Santos de Cartier is a joy to look at on the wrist, just as much as it is to wear. Furthermore, to make life even easier for its wearer, Cartier has fitted the Santos de Cartier with a quick-release system for its integrated bracelet and each link. This ensures every link and the bracelet can be removed tool-free with the push of a button.
In keeping with Cartier's recent move towards high-end watchmaking, the Santos de Cartier is powered by Cartier's in-house automatic cal. 1847 MC. Featuring a nickel-phosphorus escape wheel and pallet fork, and even the protection provided by a Faraday cage, the cal. 1847 MC is significantly protected against magnetism and up to the general standard required of everyday wear.
