― The Santos Watch That Has Changed with the Times ―
What kind of watch is the vintage Santos-Dumont?
“One of the world’s first practical men’s wristwatches.”
“The origin of the Santos.”
Neither description is incorrect.
However, understanding the vintage Santos-Dumont requires more than knowing its history.
What has the Santos inherited, and what has it changed over its long history of more than 120 years?
By understanding this, we can see the value embodied by the vintage Santos-Dumont.
A Design Passed Down for More Than 120 Years
Since its creation in 1904, the Santos has been carried on as one of Cartier’s signature collections.
A square case.
Roman numerals.
A bezel with visible screws.
These remain the design codes that symbolize the Santos today.
Even after more than 120 years, the fact that its design remains instantly recognizable as a Santos tells us that this watch had an exceptionally high degree of completeness from the moment it was created.
Proportions That Changed with the Times
At the same time, the Santos has not remained completely unchanged.
When the vintage Santos-Dumont and current models are placed side by side, there are clear differences in case thickness, size, and overall proportions.
Vintage models are characterized by relatively thin cases and delicate balance.
Current models, meanwhile, have developed more substantial proportions in response to factors such as water resistance, durability, and the needs of modern lifestyles.
This is not a matter of one being superior to the other.
As the role expected of a watch changes, its design naturally changes as well.
What Has Not Changed
Although its proportions have changed, the essence of the Santos watch remains the same.
The case, bezel, dial, and lugs.
Even across different eras, the “Santos character” has been passed down without being lost.
This consistency may be one of the reasons it has become a collection that has endured for more than 120 years.
What Is the Vintage Santos-Dumont?
We do not consider the vintage Santos-Dumont simply an “old Santos.”
Nor do we consider it a watch superior to current models.
The vintage Santos-Dumont is a watch that preserves, in the present day, the Santos that was sought after in its time.
Case thickness.
Balance of size.
Its presence when worn on the wrist.
These elements reflect the values of that era.
By contrast, the current Santos is a Santos created to suit the modern age.
Watches do not merely evolve.
They also change with the times.
That is precisely why both vintage and current models have their own unique appeal.
We believe that the vintage Santos-Dumont is the model within the Santos collection, which has been passed down for more than 120 years, that most vividly preserves the proportions and values unique to its era.
Understanding these differences may be one of the pleasures of enjoying vintage Cartier.
Point
- The Santos is a collection that has carried on its fundamental design codes for more than 120 years.
- Case size, thickness, and proportions have changed over time to suit the lifestyles and values of each era.
- Vintage and current models are not a matter of superiority; each expresses the Santos sought after in its respective era.
- The vintage Santos-Dumont conveys the proportions unique to its era into the present day.
