Cartier Introduces the Santos-Dumont Limited Editions
Hot on the heels of the Santos-Dumont XL hand-wind, Cartier has dropped four limited edition variants of the same at Watches & Wonders 2020, each dedicated to one of Alberto Santos-Dumont’s most significant aircraft. Within just a decade, the pioneering Franco-Brazilian aviator designed and piloted diverse methods of conquering the skies, from balloons and dirigibles to heavier-than-air aircraft. The four flying machines commemorated by the new limited edition Santos-Dumont watches each represent a different milestone in his career, starting with his first balloon, the Brésil of 1898, to his greatest feat, the La Demoiselle plane of 1908. Increasing in edition size as the price decreases with the preciousness of the case, all four editions are mechanical, powered by the ultra-thin 430 MC found in the Santos-Dumont XL, which is actually a Piaget 430P. Though they share the same movement, the editions are not all the same size. The first three are in the large Santos-Dumont case, with dimensions of 43.5 mm by 31.4 mm, perfectly appropriate for a modern-day dress watch, offering just the right balance between elegance and presence. The last and most expensive edition, on the other hand, is platinum and XL size, meaning it is 46.6 mm by 33.9 mm. Santos-Dumont XL in platinum (extreme left), and the trio of large-size editions Santos-Dumont “Le Brésil” Limited to 100 pieces, “Le Bresil” is named after Santos-Dumont’s first flying machine, a hot-air balloon not...
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