Cartier Santos Dumont WGSA0096 - Review & Buying Guide

Cartier is one of the world’s most renowned and iconic luxury watch brands. The French watchmaker has produced various models highly coveted by enthusiasts and dedicated collectors. But the most beloved Cartier of all time is the Cartier Santos-Dumont. Not only is the Cartier Santos-Dumont impeccably designed, but it also has an interesting history that adds to its glory.

Over the years, Cartier has maintained a stringent design code for the famous Santos-Dumont line. But this year, for Watches and Wonders, Cartier has literally said, “Why not?” They have followed in the footprints of Albert Santos-Dumont, the great aviator, to design a watch that fits the sky-is-the-limit constraint - introducing the new limited-edition Cartier Santos-Dumont Reference WGSA0096.

So what has Cartier done? Before we dig into the details, let’s shed some light on the illustrious history of the Santos-Dumont watch.

Brief History of the Cartier Santos-Dumont

Launched in 1904, the Cartier Santos-Dumont is recognised as the first wristwatch for men specifically designed for pilots. The watch came into existence when Brazilian pilot Alberto Santos-Dumont requested his friend Louis Cartier to design a watch that would help read time while flying. In response, Louis Cartier created a flat and ‘first-ever’ wristwatch with a square bezel and curved lugs, all fitted to a leather strap that could be easily worn on the wrist. This unique design quickly caught the attention of the world.

The Santos-Dumont was designed to prioritise timeless elegance over flashy appeal, featuring its signature square case with subtly rounded lugs and corners for a consistently refined look. It was characterised by eight screws on the bezel, an Art Deco-style dial with large Roman numerals, a square case influenced by a square pocket watch produced by Cartier, and a sapphire cabochon on the crown. In summary, the Cartier Santos-Dumont combines unique charm with sophisticated elegance.

While the Santos-Dumont was created in 1904, it was made available to the public in 1911. Since then, Cartier has manufactured the model in various iterations, mainly in platinum with a leather strap.  Although its inception resulted from a friendship between Alberto and Cartier, the Santos-Dumont was not just a tool for the aviators but also a breakthrough in design and style. The unique design offers practicality and comfort, making it fashionable for men to wear watches on their wrists, which was rare before the Santos-Dumont.

Also Read: Is Cartier Watch A Good Investment And Which Models Hold Value?

REVIEW: New ‘Limited Edition’ Cartier Santos-Dumont WGSA0096 

The new Cartier Santos-Dumont WGSA0096 is a limited edition of 200 individually numbered timepieces. It comes in three fresh dial colour options, adding diversity to the Santos-Dumont collection.

At first glance, the all-new Santos-Dumont isn’t reasonably what you’d expect, but something even better than that. The dress piece Ref. WGSA0096 draws inspiration from the elegance and design of the original Alberto Santos-Dumont wristpiece. It has the 1904 Art Deco style and features square lacquered cases, a bezel with exposed screws and a clean and highly legible dial, making it easy to read while flying.

Here’s a detailed review:

• Case

On the wrist, this platinum Santos-Dumont sits at 43.5 mm x 31.4 mm and has a thickness of 7.3mm, which is quite ‘large’. While it may come small to some, this dimension feels bigger in the square design and sits comfortably on the wrist. There’s a gentle curve to it that makes it fit better than a usual flat watch type. There is lacquer on the case, and the bezel is olive green. This lacquer is less than 1/1000th of a millimetre and hand polished.

• Dial

The olive green dial has a stunning sunburst finish and applied Arabic numerals. It has the typical Cartier rhodium-finish polished steel sword-style hands.

• Bezel

The bezel is coated with an olive green lacquer and has eight exposed screws, reminiscent of the original Santos-Dumont style.

• Bracelet

Curiously, Cartier has fitted a green leather strap matching the dial, and it surely has our approval. The strap is secured with a platinum ardillon buckle.

• Movement

Under all the glitz and glamour, Cartier has housed the manual winding 430 MC, which displays the minutes and hours. It is a very slim (2.1 millimetres) movement that you can also find in some other Cartier models. Running at 21,600vph, it provides a power reserve of 38 hours and water resistance of approximately 30 metres.

• Other Design Elements

The ruby cabochon crown complements the green attire of the Santos-Dumont well. However, as opposed to what we expected, the crown didn’t offer a ton of grip when we tried to pull out. This issue is aggravated when dealing with manual movement, as is the case here.

One of our favourite elements of the entire watch is Alberto Santos-Dumont’s signature engraved on the case back. It is filled with red to echo the dial and immediately reflected below. According to Cartier, this superb limited-edition Santos-Dumont model follows the magical and unprecedented footsteps of the famous aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, for whom anything was possible. This signature on the back adds a personal touch to the brand’s most popular watch collection.

• Price

The Cartier Santos-Dumont in platinum Reference WGSA0096 is priced at £21,000.

Specifications Overview:

• Model: WGSA0096
• Case Material: 950/1000 Platinum
• Size: 43.5 mm x 31.4 mm
• Dial: Olive green
• Bezel: Olive green lacquer
• Crystal: Sapphire crystal
• Movement: Manual Winding 430MC
• Bracelet: Green alligator strap
• Power Reserve: 38 hours
• Water-resistance: 30 metres (approximately)

Also Read: How To Verify The Authenticity Of Cartier Watches?

What We Think

Aesthetically, this new limited-edition Cartier Santos-Dumont WGSA0096 in olive green is a lovely-looking watch. The lacquer case appears quite appealing and has redefined the Santos line. The smooth, slim profile makes it ideal for those who prefer a more subtle luxury on their wrist. Crafted from platinum, the watch perfectly captures the essence of the original Santos-Dumont, blending history, timeless style and excellent craftsmanship.

Whether for collectors or enthusiasts, this model offers an excellent fusion of luxury and functionality, ensuring it will remain a staple in any collection for years to come.