First Look: Cartier Engraved Santos-Dumont Limited-Edition Watches

It may not follow the common formula, but the Cartier Santos-Dumont series is one of the very first purpose-built pilot watches. That name, and the legacy that goes with it, traces back to Brazilian Alberto Santos-Dumont, one of the very first men ever to fly in an airplane. For Watches Wonders 2020, Cartier turns its focus on Alberto Santos-Dumont with three limited-edition models dedicated to his greatest flying machines - the Cartier Engraved Santos-Dumont Limited-Edition Le Bresil, Cartier Engraved Santos-Dumont Limited-Edition La Baladeuse, and Cartier Engraved Santos-Dumont Limited-Edition no. 14 bis.
Brand: Cartier Model: Cartier Engraved Santos-Dumont Limited-Edition Le Bresil, Cartier Engraved Santos-Dumont Limited-Edition La Baladeuse, Cartier Engraved Santos-Dumont Limited-Edition no. 14 bisDimensions:? 43.5mm x 31.4 mm x 7.3mm (all three)Case Material: platinum (Le Bresil), 18k yellow gold (La Baladeuse), stainless steel and 18K yellow gold two-tone (no. 14 bis) Crystal/Lens: sapphireMovement:? manufacture 430 MC hand-wound two-hand movementFrequency: 21,600 bphPower Reserve: 38 hoursStrap/Bracelet: gray alligator leather strap (Le Bresil and no. 14 bis), olive green alligator leather strap (La Baladeuse)Price Availability: $18,700 (Le Bresil), $14,300 (La Baladeuse), $7,250 (no. 14 bis), available April 25, 2020
Each of the three new models begins with the iconic shape of the 43.5mm large Santos-Dumont case, and while the square form with its distinctive bezel remains unchanged, each of the three new models interprets it in a different material. Le Bresil is the most luxe of the group, opting for an all-platinum treatment topped with a ruby cabochon crown and a commemorative engraving of Santos-Dumonts simple and elegant airship of the same name from 1898. La Baladeuse takes the classic Cartier 18k yellow gold approach, accented with a sapphire-topped crown. Around back, as the name suggests, is an engraving of the small, motorized La Baladeuse airship used by Santos-Dumont to fly around the city of Paris. Of the three, this combination feels the most classically Cartier, if a bit risk-averse. Lastly, the no. 14 bis offers a handsome two-tone stainless steel and 18k yellow gold approach, finished with a blue spinel crown. The engraving here is of the no. 14 bis airplane, one of Santos-Dumonts first award-winning craft, an airplane that first flew in 1906. The dials of these three models follow a similar pattern, with Le Bresil going for a gleaming silver sunburst with polished applied numerals and gray sword hands, La Baladeuse remaining old-school Cartier with a champagne sunburst dial (along with black printed numerals and blued hands), and the no. 14 bis taking a more modern masculine approach with a charcoal gray sunburst dial contrasting dramatically with gold hands. All three are powered by the in house 430 MC hand-wound movement, providing 38 hours of power reserve. The alligator leather straps are, for the most part, very traditional Cartier fare, with both Le Bresil and the no. 14 bis opting for clean gray, but the otherwise conservative La Baladeuse takes a left-field pairing with an earthy olive green tone strap.
Cartier has made a reputation as a brand of preserving iconic forms, and this new engraved Santos-Dumont trilogy is an excellent example of this. While all three take the Santos-Dumont aesthetic in different directions, theres nothing here that feels out of place or extreme. All three are available now through authorized retailers, with the Cartier Engraved Santos-Dumont Limited Edition Le Bresil priced at $18,700; the Cartier Engraved Santos-Dumont Limited Edition La Baladeuse coming in at $14,300; and the Cartier Engraved Santos-Dumont Limited Edition no. 14 bis with an MSRP of $7,250. The three models are limited in production, with Le Bresil restricted to 100 units, La Baladeuse to 300 examples, and the no. 14 bis to 500 watches worldwide. For more information, please visit Cartiers website.