18ct white gold Cartier Santos Dumont wristwatch. Made 1975

Information

• Brand: Cartier
• Made: 1975
• Model: Santos
• Reference: 78098
• Calibre: 78-1 (2512-1)
• Movement: Manual
• Material: 18ct white gold 
• Features: Sapphire cabochon crown
• Dial: Off-white dial featuring black printed Roman numeral hour indices with inner minute track and sword shaped hands
• Case Dimensions: 20mm
• Bracelet/Strap: Leather strap
• Accessories: N/A
• SKU: 3423

Essay

Depending on who you ask, the Santos is considered one of the very first conventional wristwatches ever made. Its origins date back to 1904, when Louis Cartier created the timepiece for his close friend, aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont. Santos-Dumont needed a reliable, easy-to-read watch he could use while flying, something pocket watches simply couldn’t offer in the cockpit. In response, Cartier designed a practical wristwatch that combined function with elegance.

Characterised by its distinctive square case and curved lugs, the Santos marked a turning point in horology and became the first wristwatch to be commercially produced when it launched in 1911. The Cartier Santos-Dumont later emerged as a direct tribute to that groundbreaking 1904 original.