CARTIER CELEBRATES SANTOS WATCH AT 20
Byline: Katherine Weisman
PARIS — In 1904, Louis Cartier created one of the first wristwatches ever for Brazilian aviation pioneer Alberto Santos-Dumont. The watch, which went into commercial production 74 years later, is celebrating its 20th anniversary here tonight, and for the occasion, Cartier is launching three new Santos models and revamping the entire line.
“This is a huge celebration of a great watch,” said Simon Critchell, the president of Cartier Inc., the firm’s U.S. operation. “The Santos is a very important part of Cartier’s watch collections, and its sales account for well over 10 percent of total U.S. watch sales.”
In praise of Santos, Cartier is hosting a dinner tonight for its key retail partners. The dinner will be held in a temporary hangar at the fountains of the Trocadero, which will house a two-day exhibit paying tribute to Santos-Dumont.
The exhibit, which opens to the public Tuesday, contains period photographs and sketches about Santos-Dumont’s life. In 1898, he made his first hot-air balloon flight; soon after, he was the first to circle the Eiffel Tower in an airship. Santos-Dumont got to be friends here with Louis Cartier. At the time when watches were usually worn on a chain around the neck, Cartier designed a wristwatch for Santos-Dumont as a more practical alternative when he was flying.
The exhibition will include models of some of Santos-Dumont’s hot-air balloons and other air machines, and the full-size La Demoiselle plane Santos-Dumont created in 1906.
The first newcomer to the Santos watch line is a large piece with a chronoreflex quartz movement. It has a split-second hand and perpetual calendar programmed until the year 2100. The other two new models feature automatic movements.
The three new watches, in all stainless steel or a combination of steel with yellow gold, have luminous watch hands so the wearer can tell time in the dark. They will retail for $2,600 to $4,950, according to a spokeswoman for Cartier Inc. in New York.
The entire Santos line is getting a facelift. Like some Santos watches, all models now will be curved for a snugger fit on the wrist, and will have a new continuous bracelet, rather than the former clasp for opening and closing.
With a few exceptions, like the new quartz movement chronoreflex, Santos watches will have automatic movements. The new Santos models will reach stores worldwide next month, except in Japan, which will market the new models in March.