IMAGE: CARTIER

It’s been some time since the iconic Santos de Cartier received a fresh new update, the last major one being the launch of the Santos 100 in 2004 to celebrate 100 years of the very first watch created by Louis Cartier back in 1904. 14 years later, there are new additions to the family, the all-new Santos de Cartier watch line-up that was unveiled at SIHH back in January 2018.

IMAGE: CARTIER

The new Santos de Cartier watch will be made available in several versions. There’s one in steel and another in steel and yellow gold that’s reminiscent of the vintage Santos Galbee. There’s also a version in pink gold, yellow gold, as well as something called the Skeleton that comes in steel or pink gold versions. And while the watches are similar to its predecessors in terms of features (the square-shaped face, Roman numeral dials and eight screws on the polished bezel), the all-new version is optimised for comfort, being slightly curved at the back to give it a more ergonomic fit on the wrist.

PINK GOLD & YELLOW GOLD: MEDIUM (SGD46,300) & LARGE (SGD51,500), IMAGE: CARTIER

STEEL: MEDIUM (SGD8600) & LARGE (SGD9450), IMAGE: CARTIER

Available in 2 sizes, here’s what else you need to know about the new timepieces. The Medium comes in at 35.1 mm by 41.9 mm, while the Large is 39.8 mm by 47.5 mm, with the biggest difference between the two (aside from the size) being the fact that only the large sizes come with date display. In addition, if you’ve always found the Santos 100 to be too big and bulky, these new versions are also much thinner, coming in at 8.83 mm for the Medium and 9.08 mm for the Large.

Each watch comes furnished with a complementary Santos bracelet that’s identified by the iconic screw details. An additional calfskin (or alligator strap but there will be a top-up) will also be made available with each purchase of the watch, where you can choose from 17 different hues.

YELLOW GOLD & STEEL: MEDIUM (SGD12,600) & LARGE (SGD14,300), IMAGE: CARTIER

Now, on to the cool part (which Cartier describes as the defining element) of the new Santos de Cartier watch. Both the Santos bracelet and leather straps will come with the new QuickSwitch system, one that features a ‘quick release’ button tucked under the strap. Activating it allows the wearer to interchange the straps easily without the need for screwdrivers or fancy tools. In addition, the Santos bracelet is also SmartLink-equipped, new technology that allows the adding or removing of the watch links to be done in several simple steps. By yourself. In other words, you no longer have to troop down to the store; you can pretty much do it yourself at home.

Powered by an automatic caliber 1846 MC (an in-house movement by Cartier) that’s resistant to powerful magnetic fields, the new Santos de Cartier watch also comes with a power reserve of 42 hours and is water-resistant to 100 m, which makes it all-in-all a great everyday watch. Now on to the not-so-good news? You have to wait a tad bit longer as the watch is set to launch worldwide only in April 2018.

Images: Cartier