Cartier Santos: The Watch That Invented the Wristwatch
The Cartier Santos is the watch that invented the wristwatch as we know it. In 1904, Louis Cartier designed it for his friend Alberto Santos-Dumont, a Brazilian aviator who couldn't check a pocket watch while flying, and in doing so, created the first purpose-built men's wristwatch in history. With its square case, exposed screw bezel, and Roman numeral dial, the Santos didn't just solve a problem for one pilot; it changed how half the world tells time. Commercially released in 1911, the Santos became the first wristwatch ever mass-produced for men. Over 120 years later, it remains Cartier's best-selling men's watch, a fixture on the wrists of Wall Street titans, Hollywood actors, and hip-hop royalty alike. The current Santos de Cartier collection, relaunched in 2018 with the innovative QuickSwitch and SmartLink systems, represents the most refined and versatile iteration ever produced.
We can source this
3 references we can source through our network.
Specifications
History
In 1904, Louis Cartier created the Santos for his close friend Alberto Santos-Dumont, a Brazilian aviation pioneer famous for his dirigible flights over Paris. Santos-Dumont complained that checking a pocket watch while piloting was dangerous. He needed both hands on the controls. Cartier's solution was revolutionary: a flat, square-cased watch worn on the wrist with a leather strap. The design featured a square bezel with exposed screws, legible Roman numerals, a sapphire cabochon crown, and a clean, functional dial. It was the first wristwatch designed specifically for a man, and it changed everything.
Iconic References
Buying Guide
- • First luxury watch: the WSSA0018 is the perfect entry into serious watchmaking
- • Men who want an alternative to the Rolex Datejust
- • Collectors who appreciate history, this is THE most historically significant watch design
- • Strap-change enthusiasts: QuickSwitch makes it the most versatile luxury watch on the market
- • Business professionals who need a watch that works with suits AND weekend wear
Pricing & Market Data
Retail MSRP
Pre-Owned Market
Market Trajectory
Steady appreciation: +5% in 2024, +33% cumulative since 2020. Steel Santos models retain 65-75% of retail value over 3-5 years.
Investment Grade
B+: strong value retention, steady appreciation, but not the explosive gains of Rolex sport models or Patek Nautilus. The smart money says Cartier is undervalued relative to its heritage and cultural significance.
Best Value Pick
WSSA0018 (Large Steel): the core of the collection, best liquidity, strongest demand, and cleanest appreciation curve.
Comparisons
Cultural Significance
Collector's Lore
Alberto Santos-Dumont wore the original 1904 Santos while making his famous flights over Paris in his No. 14-bis aircraft. Other aviators noticed and began requesting similar wristwatches, the concept went viral before viral existed.
The exposed screws on the Santos bezel were originally functional necessities: Louis Cartier simply refused to hide them. This industrial-meets-luxury philosophy directly influenced Gérald Genta's design of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak in 1972, which features the same exposed-screw aesthetic.
Gordon Gekko's gold Santos in Wall Street (1987) was personally selected by costume designer Ellen Mirojnick, who wanted a watch that said 'old money meets new ambition.' The scene where Gekko gifts a watch to Bud Fox was almost cut: keeping it in helped make the Santos a symbol of 80s excess.
Jerry Seinfeld wore his Santos on the TV show Seinfeld throughout its nine-season run (1989-1998), making it arguably the most-viewed watch on American television in the 1990s. Unlike product placement, Seinfeld wore his own personal watch.
In 1978, Cartier's head of marketing Dominique Perrin pushed the Santos into steel-and-gold after seeing the success of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Patek Philippe Nautilus. The Santos Carrée became the accessible luxury sport watch, and outsold both the Royal Oak and Nautilus combined for years.
The Santos-Dumont variant (slim, leather strap, no bracelet) is the closest modern production watch to the original 1904 design. Purists consider it the 'true' Santos.
At Ultimate Diamond on 47th Street, we've sold Santos watches since the 1970s steel-and-gold Carrée era. The Santos is the single most-requested Cartier model by walk-in customers: ahead of the Tank, ahead of the Ballon Bleu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Guides
Rolex Rolex Datejust
The Rolex Datejust is Rolex's best-selling model and arguably the most versatile luxury timepiece ever produced. Introdu...
Read guide →Omega Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra: The Definitive Collector's Guide
The Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra is a 150-meter dress-sport watch powered by the Master Chronometer Cal. 8900, delivering ...
Read guide →Audemars Piguet Audemars Piguet Royal Oak: The Complete Collector's Guide
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, Reference 5402ST, debuted at the Basel Fair on April 15, 1972, as the world's first luxur...
Read guide →Cartier Cartier Baignoire Guide: Specs, References, Prices | Ultimate Watch
The Cartier Baignoire is the oval watch that refuses to apologize for not being round. The name is French for bathtub, a...
Read guide →Cartier Cartier Ballon Bleu: The Best-Selling Cartier You Should Be Buying Pre-Owned
The Ballon Bleu de Cartier is Cartier's best-selling watch: period. Launched in 2007, it broke every rule Cartier had es...
Read guide →Cartier Clé de Cartier
The Clé de Cartier arrived at SIHH in 2015 as the first genuinely new case shape Cartier had drawn in a long time, and t...
Read guide →Own a Cartier?
We buy Cartier watches at competitive prices. Fast payment, no obligation quote.