Marking a significant time in the history of horology, the Cartier Santos-Dumont was one of the first pilots’ watches, with a design that has endured through the years. This limited-edition piece features a subtle salmon dial complemented by a platinum case, combining vintage and modern aesthetics.
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The Story of Cartier
The history of the Cartier Santos-Dumont dates back to 1904, when Louis Cartier created a watch for his friend, the pilot Alberto Santos-Dumont.
A Brazilian aeronaut and inventor, Santos-Dumont was the heir of a coffee company and contributed significantly to the development of the modern aeroplane. Finding it difficult to check his pocket watch while also trying to fly a plane, Santos-Dumont complained about this to Cartier, who then came up with a watch that could be strapped to one’s wrist.
The Santos-Dumont was one of the first wristwatches to be commercially produced, and since then, Cartier has created several iterations of the piece, with the latest update to the collection of Santos-Dumont coming this year.
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The founding father of the maison, Louis-François Cartier, courtesy of Francesca Cartier Brickell.
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The three Cartier brothers who would establish the brand’s three global bases in Paris, New York and London with their father, Alfred, taken in 1922, courtesy of Francesca Cartier Brickell.
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Over the course of Cartier’s history, they have demonstrated a mixed commitment to horology. Throughout the 1920s, their Parisian workshop reworked the classic Tank design into a whole range of innovative shapes, such as the Cintrée, Baignoire and the Tank à Guichets. Some 40 years later, when the brand was under the custodianship of three brothers located in Paris, London, and New York, some of the most creative designs began to emerge from these autonomous workshops. With models ranging from the Crash to the Asymétrique, the New Bond Street branch carried forward Cartier’s previous approach of experimentation and inventiveness.
