The itty bitty Santos de Cartier still delivers oodles of two-tone charm

Cartier has fully established itself as the watch that all the cool cats wear, especially when it comes to the brand’s smaller, more demure offering. Whether it’s Rihanna’s Panthère, Tyler’s…. well anything, or our own Zach Blass’ Santos-Dumont. Being somewhat of a fiend for smaller watches myself, I was happy to see Cartier revise the smaller end of their Santos de Cartier offering at this year’s Watches and Wonders, with the two-tone model in particular bringing all the charm of the beloved Galbées of years past. So it should come as no surprise that I jumped at the opportunity to spend some time with one, especially considering that most people seemed to have missed its reveal at the fair.

Modern memories

As a historic design house, Cartier has no shortage of iconic shapes, though that doesn’t come without challenges. A recognisable watch like the Santos needs to work as a collection, which means moulding and resizing without altering the key formula too much. Naturally, this is not always without fault, but I really do believe the new Santos de Cartier is a great example of doing it right. Unless you saw them side-by-side, could you tell it apart from the Medium instantly? Apart from lacking a seconds hand, I’m not sure I could, and I’m glad the brand’s designers haven’t compromised.

I’d go as far as saying that the Small is the most proportional-looking of the three sizes, blending its signature elements extremely well. The shiny gold bezel is framed by a brushed top of the case, before a wide, rounded chamfer takes it to the flanks that drop straight down. The steel screws of the bezel give way to the gold ones in the bracelet, really driving home the two-tone look that works exceptionally well here. Paired with the small size and square shape, I just can’t get the Galbée out of my head, though I have to say, I think the proportions of the bezel flowing into the case work better than the Galbée’s wide, flat look.

Two blued sword hands are tasked with time-telling, differing just enough to make them legible on the sunburst dial. And speaking of, this is where you’ll find the most noticeable differences to its larger Santos stablemates, which feature opaline white dials. As I mentioned, there is no seconds hand, and you won’t find the dial reading “automatic” considering the Santos Small is quartz-powered. Finally, rather than hiding in the “V” of “VII”, the secret Cartier signature moves to the 10 o’clock marker.

No quality of life sacrifices

I mentioned that this watch reminded me of the Santos Galbée several times now, and while I’ve confirmed not to be alone in this thinking with several members of the T+T team, there was something that I was very wrong about. The new Santos Small may somewhat carry on its aesthetic legacy, but it certainly does not translate the charming jangliness of its era. In fact, its case and especially the tightly fitting bracelet links gave a surprisingly robust feeling on-wrist despite the diminutive dimensions, though that also meant the wearing experience was quite different. Whereas I had expected it to happily sit low and loose, thanks to the weight, I found it a lot more comfortable higher up to wrist.

To use Zach’s “robust elegance” terminology, this one isn’t quite as versatile as its larger siblings, as it only sports 30 metres of water-resistance. That’s plenty for the challenges most people will encounter daily, but it does pare back the sporty nature some of the other Santos de Cartier models have. My point is further proven by the accompanying calf leather strap – it’s plain, with vintage-ish stitching, and not really reminiscent of a sports watch. Thankfully, it still incorporates the excellent quick-change system which will be especially handy on the solid gold pieces.

Begging for a stack

One quality that all small Cartiers share, is that (at least in my opinion), they look incredible paired with a bunch of accessories. For some, this is blasphemy with any watch, let alone a precious metal Cartier. But the tiny nicks and scuffs that these pick up, intertwined with a fabric or Love Bracelet tells me that the owner respects the watch for what it is – a design object almost as much as it is a watch.

It’s a look that isn’t exclusive to Cartier, though it is one that Cartier does best by far, and this petite Santos follows the norm, especially on a larger wrist with more empty space.

Closing thoughts

Though it wasn’t met with the same fanfare as the headlining Tank à Guichets, the Santos de Cartier Small excites me all the same, though for a different reason. As with any ultra-limited Privé model, the chances of one being seen in public are minuscule, if their respective owners end up taking them out of the safe at all. Watches like the Santos, however, are made to be worn daily, and as a result feel that much more approachable. That said, the pricing is pretty spicy, especially considering the automatic variant commands “only” a 10% premium, but soaring prices are simply a reality in today’s landscape.

What the Santos Small has going for it will be more than enough to justify the asking price for many, and I fall in the same camp. The case is proportioned perfectly, arguably the best of the Santos de Cartier line-up, and the uncluttered dial with just two hands lets the alternating silver and gold finishes of the case sing. It’s just a matter of time before Timmy C rocks one on a red carpet… And day now….

Cartier Santos de Cartier Small pricing and availability

The Cartier Santos de Cartier Small is now available in three different metal combinations. Price: A$10,400 (steel), A$17,100 (two-tone), A$52,500 (18k yellow gold)