With a lot of splashy releases from Cartier this year, you might have missed something as humble as a black-dialled Santos-Dumont. And yet this new Cartier Santos-Dumont Obsidian might be their low-key best release of the year.
Let’s start with that dial. As mentioned, it’s made from Obsidian, tapping into the zeitgeist for stone dialled watches that seems to be exhaustively tackling every mineral on Earth. The difference here is that the particular obsidian used is from Mexican volcanic material. This gives it a very different grain from what you usually get, almost speckled.
Those speckles pair perfectly with the yellow gold across the Roman numerals starkly framing the gold handset and matching minute track. It actually tones down the black-and-gold contrast that seems to be shorthand for classic luxury into something a bit more nuanced. And at 0.3mm thick, it’s a dial that maintains the elegance of something it’s hard to believe started as a pilots’ instrument.
That dial is set in a 43.5mm x 31.4mm yellow gold case that measures just 7.3mm thick. It’s a decently large size for a Santos-Dumont and will be a lot more forgiving on a lot of men’s wrists – though as it has 30m of water resistance, avoid taking it for a dip. It’s pure Parisian elegance.
On the wrist however is where the new Santos-Dumont really shines. That has a fair bit to do with the dial, yes, but mainly it’s all about the bracelet. Even in a year of exceptional bracelets (looking at Universal Geneve, there), this might be one of the best.
Inspired by Cartier’s 1920s made-to-measure straps, the 15-link yellow gold number is fine enough to drape over the wrist almost like mesh, but with solid, polished links that catch the light from all angles. It’s flexing Cartier’s jewellery heritage with a grand total of 394 links. It’s a little surprising that Cartier hasn’t done the usual alternating brushed and polished links that most brands do, instead opting for polishing all over, but it looks fantastic.
Granted, it’s an absolute pain to keep fingerprints off of, which will drive a certain kind of wearer to distraction. But if you can keep it shiny – and avoid scratching the precious metal – this is an absolute stunner.
The vintage-style strap makes perfect sense on the Santos-Dumont. This is the closer of the Santos models to the original 1904 creation for Alberto Santos-Dumont, slimmer, more elegant and a perfect fit for a jewellery-focused bracelet.
Inside is the 430 MC manual-wind movement, a thin, 2.1mm thick calibre with a 36-hour power reserve. It’s not exactly weekend-proof but this isn’t really a daily wearer. Again, those polished links make that a lesson in the futility of keeping polished surfaces clean. It’s worth noting however that the 430 MC is based off the Piaget calibre of the same number and if there’s anyone that really understands the ultra-thin, it’s them.
The new Santos-Dumont isn’t as feverishly followed as the Crash or as divisive as the new Roadster, meaning it likely won’t get quite as many headlines. It is however the perfect blend of heritage aviation timekeeping and dress watch sensibilities. Now, who else wants a steel version?
Price and Specs:
More details at Cartier.
