PERFECT COMPOSITION
The Parisien house enhances the refined personality of this timepiece, imagined back in 1904 by Louis Cartier for his Brazilian aviator friend, by gifting it with more contemporary proportions.
Timelessness. Seldom has a watch exemplified this qualifier so well. And, even though it’s over a century old, the Santos Dumont is as fresh as ever. This year however, Cartier has quite aptly revisited its lines and size to bring it up-to-date. As such the Santos Dumont XL stands out with its 46.6 mm x 33.9 mm rectangular case, its satin-brushed finish and its slimness as it’s only 7.5 mm thick. Its profile’s curvature is now even more elegant. These new proportions offer the dial the opportunity to boost its clearness and readability optimally. It goes without saying that the piece still embraces the manufacture’s stylistic codes, with ah hour chapter comprising Roman numerals and blued sword-shaped hands, yet the rather-more graphical composition is amplified.
Three versions are available. One is steel, another in rose gold and the third combining these two materials. Whatever variation you choose, all three models are driven by the hand-wound 430 MC caliber. Once fully wound, this movement delivers a power reserve of some 38 hours. Time is set and the watch is wound using the traditional circular-grained crown topped with a sapphire or synthetic spinel cabochon based on the model chosen.
The Santos Dumont XL is worn on a perfectly-integrated strap in blue, gray or black alligator depending on the case metal color. All versions are equipped with a quick-release system for easily changing the strap.
Price: EUR5,500 (steel) – EUR7,800 (steel and rose gold) – EUR15,000 (rose gold)
By Dan Diaconu