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Cartier Santos-Dumont - Aiming Higher

The daring legend of aviation, Alberto Santos-Dumont soars over the collection. The elegant and reliable timepiece was a forward-thinking invention and the first purpose-designed modern wristwatch. But how did Alberto inspire the Cartier Santos-Dumont and why is it still a classic today?

THE INSPIRATION BEHIND AN ICONIC TIMEPIECE

The Santos-Dumont was the result of an experiment between two revolutionary visionaries, Alberto Santos-Dumont, a pioneer of aviation and Louis Cartier, a legendary name in the world of watches. The pair first met in 1900 and it wasn’t long before Alberto complained of his difficulty checking the time on his pocket watch whilst flying.

Santos-Dumont

Three years later Louis Cartier revolutionised watchmaking, introducing the first purpose-designed modern wristwatch, the Santos-Dumont, allowing his friend to easily tell the time in the skies. This is a timepiece for anyone who wants to change the world.

“I fly to escape society and think” – Alberto Santos-Dumont

Simplicity, practicality and innovation were the three major principles of Alberto, with Cartier’s creation perfectly embodying these values.

The simple aesthetic of the timepiece is the perfect reflection of the aviators style. He was always impeccably dressed, with a waistcoat, backwards facing flat-cap and wing collar. The watch created for him is both practical and a handsome timepiece to wear. It was also an innovation in the watchmaking world.

A DISTINCT DESIGN

The design of the Santos-Dumont quickly became an icon and the watch is truly a classic timepiece. With a simple, yet elegant design it perfectly reflects the man who inspired its creation.

“I feel courage and I face the danger” – Alberto Santos-Dumont

Paying homage to the historical model, today’s timepiece is understated and pared-down with an alligator strap. Completed with Roman numerals, visible screws, a beaded winding crown and blue cabochon it reflects the original design from 1904.

The distinctive square shape of the model is reminiscent of the geometry that was popular in Paris at the time and its symmetrical design mirrors the corners of the Eiffel Tower. In the early 1900s this was revolutionary and with straight lines it broke away from the round cases of the period’s round pocket-watch.

A PRACTICAL NATURE

Alberto was a stylish, yet practical gentleman. Comfort and ease-of-use dictated his personal style and although he had a particularly elegant allure everything also had a practical nature.

Cartier Santos-Dumont

“Inventions are first and foremost the result of persistent work in which there should be no room for discouragement” – Alberto Santos-Dumont

This notion of practicality is reflected in the 2019 re-invention of the Santos-Dumont watch. Cartier enhanced its ease of use by introducing a highly efficient quartz movement, which should reliably tell the time for approximately six years – twice as long as traditional movements. To achieve this the movement was reworked and resized to reduce energy consumption, with a new high-performance battery added.

SHOP THE SANTOS-DUMONT COLLECTION

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