Watch To Watch: Santos de Cartier Petit Modèle Wristwatch
The revival of vintage-style watches is gaining momentum, and a key player in this trend is Cartier with its stunning new 27mm Santos de Cartier.
Words by Foli Creppy | 3 Minute Read
CARTIER
In 1904, Alberto Santos-Dumont, a famed Brazilian aviator, complained to his friend and jeweler Louis Cartier about the complications of using a pocket watch while flying. Cartier's solution to this problem was the birth of the Santos de Cartier watch, the first purpose-built wristwatch, introducing the concept of modern timekeeping during a time when the world was accustomed to pocket watches.
Alberto Santos-Dumont (1907-1908) & The Cartier Boutique in Paris (1912-1913). Cartier
Over the past 12 decades, the Santos de Cartier watch has experience many iterations while maintaining the true essence–its shape and exposed screws. However, in 2004, for the brand's 100th anniversary, honoring the original model from 1904, Cartier released the Santos 100.
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While the original carter de santos was small, the Santos 100 was inspired by the OG model, retaining the square case, bezel, and crown guard–in addition to, the introduction of larger cases and the use of different materials like titanium and carbon, reflecting the early 2000s era trend of larger watches.
Now, with a resurgence of interest in small or vintage watches, specifically with celebrities like Bad Bunny wearing a vintage ladies' AP or Damson Idris wearing a "lady-sized" Panthère de Cartier watch, brands like Cartier are looking into their lineage for inspiration for newly released models and the market which (you guessed it) is now trending towards small size watches.
Cartier has recently decided to update its Santos de Cartier watch case width to a small model case width size of 27mm, after many years of only offering a Medium model watch case width size of 35mm, as the smallest case size for a Santos de Cartier you can purchase.
This petite Santos de Cartier retains all the hallmarks of the larger watches: clean lines, precise geometry, and all the meticulously refined details, including the all-gold colorway that became part of a cultural zeitgeist in the 80s, making an appearance as the timepiece worn by actor Michael Douglas in the film Wall Street. The new model boasts a sunray-effect dial that catches the natural lighting just right. A high-autonomy quartz movement, specifically engineered to fit the more compact case.
Despite its smaller size, the new Santos provides the same level of versatility as its larger counterparts, fitted with interchangeable steel bracelets and calf leather straps. The stainless steel and two-tone variants come with a smooth calfskin strap, offering a sleek aesthetic, while the solid yellow gold model comes with an alligator strap. Both leather options feature an ardillon buckle, enhancing the refined nature of this timepiece. For further details regarding prices and availability of the new petite Santos de Cartier watch, visit the brand’s official website.
Watch Details
Brand: Cartier
Model: Santos de Cartier Petit Modèle (Ref: Pending)
Dial Color: Silvered opaline dial
Case Material: Steel, Gold and Steel, and Steel
Strap/Bracelet: Steel bracelet with Smartlink system or Calf Leather Strap, Smooth Calfskin (Steel and Gold and Steel)
Indexes: Polished applied
Diameter: 27mm
Thickness: 7.3 mm
Movement: High-Autonomy Quartz
Water Resistance: 30m
May 20, 2025
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