design Santos de Cartier

Original painting size: 78 x 115 cm

The Cartier Santos-Dumont Skeleton Micro-Rotor is an elegant automatic wristwatch that pays homage to aviation history with a unique micro-rotor shaped like an airplane. It was released in 2023 and is available in steel, rose gold, and a limited-edition yellow gold version.

Key Features and Design

The watch is highly praised by reviewers for successfully blending a classic case design with a contemporary, open-worked movement.

• Movement: The in-house Calibre 9629 MC is a self-winding mechanical skeleton movement that took two years to develop. Its micro-rotor is a functional, miniaturized replica of Alberto Santos-Dumont’s 1907 “La Demoiselle” aircraft.
• Design: The skeletonized bridges are arranged to form hour markers and are filled with lacquer that matches the watch’s strap and case accents (blue for yellow gold and steel, burgundy for rose gold). The classic square case features a polished bezel with exposed screws, a signature of the Santos line.
• Wearability: Reviewers note the watch is a “Large” model, measuring 31mm in width and a slim 8mm thick, making it highly wearable and elegant on the wrist, though some might find it compact compared to modern XL watches.
• Finishing: The movement features a mix of hand-applied and machine finishing, with subtle brushing and fine chamfers. The only minor criticism from some experts is the use of an off-the-shelf Etachron regulator, which is standard across all Cartier skeleton movements.

Gold model limited edition only 150 pieces