The name Cartier is nearly synonymous with luxury today. In fact, Cartier carried this association throughout the majority of its history. And rightfully so. Louis-François Cartier founded the brand in 1847 but his three grandsons actually propelled the brand into worldwide prominence. They each ran a different branch of Cartier – Louis in Paris, Jacques in London, and Pierre in New York City.
Cartier became known for its exquisite jewelry and fantastic designs. King Edward VII praised Cartier as the “jeweler of kings and king of jewelers” and at one point requested twenty-seven tiaras from Cartier. Cartier’s watches are also exquisite, produced in mostly precious metals and made with superb finishing and artistic expression. Today, some of Cartier’s most famous watches are the Tank, Panthère, Cintrée, and Santos. However, one of these watches carries an entirely different story of daring adventure and historic firsts. Today, Cartier celebrates it as “the oldest icon of Cartier watchmaking.” It is the Cartier Santos.
The Cartier Santos-Dumont, its original name, is named for Alberto Santos-Dumont. Santos-Dumont was a Brazilian inventor and aviation pioneer. He was born in 1873 to Francisca de Paula Santos and Henrique Dumont, a French engineer who become known as the “Coffee King of Brazil” due to his innovative labor-saving inventions. Dumont became partially paralyzed in 1891, the family sold their plantation, and moved to Europe to seek medical treatment. Before the turn of the century and after studying the sciences for four years in Paris, Santos-Dumont became determined to explore the field of aviation. Santos-Dumont also drew inspiration from his father’s machines, the works of Jules Verne, and the awesome skies of his family’s Brazilian plantation.
Santos-Dumont became friends with Louis Cartier while living in Paris. In 1904, Santos-Dumont complained to Cartier of the impracticality of a pocket watch in flight. The flying machines of the time required use of both hands, making it nearly impossible to retrieve and check a pocket watch during flight. Cartier thoughtfully crafted and gifted a watch to Santos-Dumont later that year to resolve the issue. It was the Cartier Santos.
It was not the first wristwatch, but it was the first wristwatch specifically for men. Patek Philippe is credited with inventing the first wristwatch but it was only marketed and mainly worn by women. The Cartier Santos would also become the first pilot’s watch. Santos-Dumont succeeded in flying a heavier-than-air aircraft on October 23, 1906 before a large crowd in Paris. He flew the aircraft about 16 feet off the ground for a distance of nearly 200 feet. Santos-Dumont flew again on November 12 for a distance of 722 feet and set a record recognized by the Federation of Aeronatique Internationale.
Santos-Dumont gained worldwide fame after these feats as did his watch. Notably, there is some controversy between Santos-Dumont and the American Wright Brothers. Santos-Dumont is reported as calling the Wright Brothers’ claim of a 30 mile flight a mere bluff. In Brazil, Santos-Dumont is widely believed to have preceded the Wright Brothers as the first in demonstrating a practical airplane. Regardless, it doesn’t seem the Wright Brothers wore wristwatches, making their feats less horologically interesting. For a good read into who did what first, Disciples of Flight has a great article on the subject.
Alberto Santos-Dumont had the watch to himself for about seven years until Cartier released it to the public in 1911. It is believed Cartier was influenced by Paris in the design of the watch. The screws securing the glass recalled the legs of the newly constructed Eiffel tower and the outstretched Roman numerals on the dial were reminiscent of the radial layout of Paris’ many roundabouts, or places.
Cartier released the Santos in 1911 in platinum and yellow gold versions, measuring 25 mm by 35 mm. Little information is available about the movements but it is known the first Santos contained a Jaeger movement. The European Watch & Clock Co. also supplied movements to the 1911 release. The Santos was the first Cartier wristwatch to feature the iconic sapphire cabochon on the crown. In another watchmaking first, the Santos also featured a deployant buckle on a choice of brown or black leather strap.
The Cartier Santos was a pioneer in watches as much as Alberto Santos-Dumont was a pioneer in aviation. It was the first wrist watch specifically designed for men and set the necessary precedent for watches to become a useful and accepted tool for soldiers during WWI. For Cartier, it propelled the brand into the wristwatch world, firmly establishing Cartier’s style for the next century and beyond. Whether regarded as a tool watch or a luxury dress watch, the Cartier Santos should be regarded as one of the most significant watches of the twentieth century.