People are familiar with the birth story of this masterpiece: in 1904, when the Brazilian pilot Alberto Santos-Dumont commissioned his friend Louis Cartier to customize a timing tool that could be worn on the wrist while flying an aircraft, the two gentlemen were convinced , this screw bezel and square case design will surely become an enduring classic. The fact is that this watch has earned the title of the world’s first pilot’s watch and the world’s first men’s watch. In 1911, LeCoultre, the predecessor of Jaeger-LeCoultre, began mass production of the movement customized for this watch. In the 1970s, screw elements began to appear on the metal bracelets of the Santos series.Its symbolic meaning is also praised by people – ambitious.
A classic watch that lasts forever.
Compared with the new Santos currently on the market, the Santos-Dumont’s rounded rectangular screw bezel is not only more in line with historical tradition, but its beaded sapphire cabochon crown is also a tribute to the 1904 original. . Cartier launched the 90th anniversary commemorative model in 1996, with a size of 36 mm, using an FP ultra-thin movement and Breguet hands. Now this watch has become a highly sought-after collection treasure. The size of this new XL has been expanded to 46.6 mm x 33.9 mm, and the thickness is 7.5 mm. Although this size may be numerically large for formal occasions, Cartier has not only made this watch fit tightly on the wrist through the gentle curves on the bezel and case, but also visually shortened the length of the case.
The iconic design of the Santos-Dumont watch is even more prominent on the oversized model with smooth contours, clean lines, and simple elegance. What differentiates it from its predecessor is size. The dial appears broad and majestic on the wrist, fully interpreting the essence of the style. However, its case is still slim and delicate, with sword-shaped hands and a bead-shaped winding crown, a satin-finished sunray-finished dial and a bottom cover engraved with Albert Santos Dumont’s signature “S=D” .
The Connoisseur’s Choice – Cartier 430 MC workshop refined movement.
Cartier chose to equip this timepiece with the 430 MC workshop-refined hand-wound mechanical movement, echoing its precious texture both inside and outside. The slim shape and traditional manual winding mechanism are the biggest features of this movement.
The 430 movement was launched by Piaget in 1998 and is still in use today, which shows its reliability and durability. During this period, this movement was not only used in many of Piaget’s Altiplano models, but also in many of Cartier’s CPCP models. figure. The thickness of this movement is only 2.1 mm. Although it has only 38 hours of power, it allows you to interact with it frequently and experience its silky winding feel. In addition, the Alberto Santos-Dumont signature on the bottom cover also makes up for the lack of transparency to a certain extent.
