Watches and Wonders 2024: The New Santos de Cartier Dual Time Watch
The new Santos de Cartier Dual Time is the first in the beloved Santos family to receive a dual time complication, allowing two different time zones to be presented at once. Discover the rest of our Watches and Wonder 2024 coverage.
It’s all about magic at Watches and Wonders 2024 and Cartier’s novelties for the show came from the perspective of a magician. Among them was the reinterpretation of the world’s first custom-made pilot’s wristwatch, the Cartier Santos. It was 1904 when Louis Cartier gifted the Cartier Santos to his dear friend, Alberto Santos-Dumont, an aviator and a free-spirited pioneer.
That very first Santos was created with, first and foremost, purpose in mind: to easily tell time at the flick of a wrist, as compared to rummaging for a pocket watch. In time, the Santos made its name and was instantly distinguished from others by its square case, exposed screws, and Roman numerals. As such, it made perfect sense for the maison to introduce a dual time complication in the revamped, contemporary Santos collection. Utilising a mechanical movement with automatic winding, the Santos de Cartier Dual Time lets the wearer track two different time zones at once and with ease due to its thoughtful design.
Affectionately known as the sportier sibling of the family – compared to the Santos-Dumont – the Santos de Cartier Dual Time stands out with its tapered, ergonomic lines, from the sleek steel case to the matching bracelet. The Santos-signature Roman numerals, polished in silver, are set against the subtle satin-finished anthracite grey sunray-brushed dial and a grey counter for the second adjustable time zone at the 6 o’clock position.
The classic sword-shaped hands are given a luminescent, rhodium finish – including the Dual Time hour hand – while a tiny circular window atop the Dual Time counter switches between light and dark to indicate AM/PM. Meanwhile, the date window can be found at the 3 o’clock position. To add to the ease of reading this particular dual time watch, the Santos de Cartier Dual Time is built as a large model with a 40.2mm x 47.5mm wide case, at 10.1mm thick. Luminescent material can also be found on the flange and dial, and for a pop of colour, a synthetic faceted blue spinel is set into the seven-sided faceted crown.
In true Cartier fashion, the bracelet too is a believer of practicality. The metal bracelet on the Santos de Cartier Dual Time can be easily adjusted to the nearest link without requiring any tools, thanks to the patented SmartLink size adjustment system. Alternatively, the watch includes an anthracite grey alligator leather strap so that the wearer can effortlessly interchange according to their fancy or occasion using the patented QuickSwitch interchangeable system. Finally, Santos de Cartier Dual Time can withstand water up to 100m and boasts a 40-hour power reserve.
