Summary: This article takes a hands-on look at Cartier’s latest Santos de Cartier Large Model (Ref. WSSA0096), a 40 × 47.5 mm steel watch with a striking textured black dial. It explores the watch’s aviation origins, its evolution from Santos-Dumont to Santos de Cartier, and how this new release blends stealthy design details, modern ergonomics, in‑house movement and Cartier’s QuickSwitch strap system to keep a 120‑year‑old icon feeling fresh.
Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
Cartier has released a new Santos de Cartier Large Model watch from its historical aviation collection, featuring a textured black dial. This new dark star proves that restraint can be the boldest statement of all.
If you walk into any Cartier boutique, you’ll find two watches that share a name, a silhouette, and over a century of history. They both descend from the same legendary watch that Louis Cartier designed for Alberto Santos-Dumont, a Brazilian pioneer of the skies, back in 1904. That collaboration gave birth to what would become two intertwined Cartier icons: the elegant Santos-Dumont and, later, the sportier Santos de Cartier. But each respective watch has evolved to a point where they feel entirely different on the wrist.
In 2024, Cartier reimagined the Santos-Dumont line, the more classically styled sibling of the Santos de Cartier, with a series of limited-edition watches that the brand unveiled at Watches & Wonders in Geneva. Although they did a fine job of reinterpreting the history of the watch, they showcased new dial colours, lacquered finishes and refined mechanical movements. One of the most talked about was the Santos-Dumont, featuring a reverse dial layout with numerals and minute tracks that appeared mirrored. Suffice it to say, the Santos-Dumont is a canvas for creativity but always manages to hold onto its charismatic charm.
By contrast, the Santos de Cartier continues to represent the more contemporary side of this storied design. What separates the Cartier Santos de Cartier from other historical watches is that it never feels antique. Its geometry is eternal, its proportions timeless. It’s a design that continues to bridge centuries, and Cartier maintains this narrative in the latest release unveiled this week, the new black dial Cartier Santos de Cartier Large Model watch, reference WSSA0096.
A Brief History of the Cartier Santos
The story of Cartier Santos is one of romance, aviation and adventure. Louis Cartier, grandson of the legendary founder of the company, was already a famed Parisian jeweller by the early 20th century, but wanted more. He saw the potential in mechanical elegance and longed to unite precision engineering with artistic design. The perfect opportunity arose when he befriended Brazil-born aviation pioneer Alberto Santos-Dumont, who needed a wrist-worn instrument that he could reference at a glance, while keeping his hands firmly on the controls of the cockpit.
Cartier’s solution would change the course of horology forever. The Santos-Dumont was the first purpose-built watch for men. Its square case boasted screws on the bezel, clear Roman numerals on the hour track, and a railroad minute track. It marked a significant shift away from the feminine accessories that wristwatches had traditionally been associated with. The watch went on sale to the public in 1911 and, over the centuries, evolved subtly before experiencing a dramatic rebirth in the 1970s.
In 1978, the Santos de Cartier arrived in a steel and gold outfit, and with an integrated bracelet. It was technically glamorous, though instantly recognisable. For many, it became the watch of the era, spearheading the steel sports watch craze. The Galbee became a sub-category, defined by its smoother curves, while the Santos 100 was bolder, larger and more assertive.
The Santos-Dumont, however, made its comeback in the early 2000s, revisiting its heritage with historical accuracy. It was the ultra-slim dress watch that fans had long been awaiting. A monumental moment was the launch of the Skeletonised Micro Rotor model, affording even slimmer proportions. The SmartLink feature followed in 2018, making it perfect for micro bracelet adjustments.
The New Cartier Santos de Cartier Large Model
When Cartier unleashed a thoughtful refresh of the Santos family last year, fans were equal parts excited and cautious. But after spending some time with these new models, it quickly became apparent to Cartier enthusiasts that the 2024 models were less about reinventing the wheel and more about deepening the watch’s story.
The updates were pragmatic and fan-pleasing, demonstrating that Cartier could be a touch playful while retaining and preserving the Santos soul. New sizes made the watches more pleasant to live with on a day-to-day basis, and seemed more deliberate choices rather than seasonal whims. Additionally, Cartier enhanced the ergonomics of the bracelet design with a QuickSwitch interchangeability system, allowing collectors to configure their straps more freely and creatively. In particular, Cartier released three attractive Santos de Cartier watches in platinum, rose gold, and yellow gold, featuring olive green, taupe grey, and peacock blue dials.
The changes to the Santos case were subtle yet robust, and the crowns still featured their signature faceted spinel decoration, allowing the watch to read like a piece of jewellery and heritage all rolled into one gesture. All in all, the interplay between the polished and brushed surfaces on the case and the screws on the bezel all felt true to the DNA of the collection’s lineage rather than laborious.
There is something magnetic about the way in which Cartier handles restraint in the Santos de Cartier design. This new black dial version (reference WSSA0096) is designed to command presence but in a wholly modest way. It conveys a sleek and mysterious message, with a dial that employs two distinct techniques to add depth and detail, and an undeniable sense of stealth.
The familiar square case has been reimagined as a bold, contemporary statement. The surface of the dial appears to absorb light rather than reflect it, and everything has been designed with comfort and ergonomics in mind. Let’s take a look at some of the spec details of the new black and steel Santos de Cartier Large Model.
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Technical Specifications
Perhaps the design of the new Cartier Santos de Cartier Large Model communicates more “tailored tuxedo at midnight” than “pilot at dawn”. It appears to harness dressier undertones that should be worn with slim and architectural proportions, remaining true to the Santos’ physique. A steel case measuring 40 x 47.5 mm is ready to take up considerable space on the wrist without looking flashy or cumbersome. The unmistakable bezel is punctuated by the signature Santos screws, glinting faintly under the light. The watch’s heptagonal steel crown, set with a blue synthetic faceted spinel, is the only ornamentation on this Santos. The 100M case is topped with a piece of anti-reflective and scratch-resistant sapphire crystal glass, providing ultimate protection for the dial against dust, scratching, light, heat and moisture.
Underneath the sapphire glass front is the classic black dial, adorned with the characteristic sword-shaped hands coated in a generous layer of Super-LumiNova, featuring a rich green emission. The same luminous treatment has been applied to the bold and classic Roman numeral hour markers, which, in true Santos style, appear stretched around the dimensions of the square flange.
Interestingly, the dial has undergone a sunray finish on the outside of the square rail track, while the centre is executed in a vertical satin finish. Both techniques create an interplay of light, texture and shadow, allowing the dial to showcase unusual nuances depending on the time of day. These two distinctive brushing steps are complex. For example, part of the dial needs to be covered up during application, so that the two do not merge together. Finally, a galvanic bath creates the watch’s unusual shade of black, giving it an almost metallic effect.
Under the hood is the self-winding 1847 MC. Built in 2015, it marked a crucial turning point for Cartier’s horological identity. It measured a depth of just 3.8 mm and signified Cartier’s devotion to crafting in-house movements that reflected “engineering excellence and elegant simplicity”. Over the years, it has been featured in the Ballon Bleu, the Pasha, and the Santos de Cartier collections, offering an impressive 40-hour power reserve and performing at a rate of 28,800 vibrations per hour. Cartier finishes this movement with traditional Swiss decoration, including circular graining, fine radial brushing, and brushed satin finishes.
Cartier equips the new black Santos de Cartier Large Model watch on a choice of two straps: an interchangeable stainless steel bracelet with a folding clasp and an engraved Cartier logo, or an anthracite grey nubuck alligator strap. The strap features Cartier’s QuickSwitch system. The QuickSwitch system is one of the brand’s most practical and quietly brilliant innovations, allowing you to swap the straps over instantly without the need for any tools. The system is discreetly built into the lugs, making the entire process effortless. The system is closely aligned with Cartier’s philosophy of combining technical ingenuity with aesthetic refinement and has become the transformative answer to modern-day versatility.
Conclusion
The new black Santos de Cartier Large Model watch by Cartier is certainly a continuation of one of watchmaking’s most poetic stories. With each new iteration, we see unique ways to celebrate a historically significant watch without compromising its DNA. Cartier is one of those rare brands that truly understands what an icon requires. The new release stands as a bridge between the aviation dream of 1904 and today’s contemporary pursuit of elegance. The watch still feels sporty but signals that Cartier is deeply in tune with its heritage and not prepared to rest on its laurels, even through the lens of modern design.
The result is a watch that feels timeless and present. The classic tones and materials are set to grow more compelling with age. In a world where collectors chase novelties, the new Santos de Cartier watch is proof that this icon’s greatest strength is its ability to make history feel new again.
The new Cartier Santos de Cartier Large Model with a black dial is now available to order here at Banks Lyon. For more information, call us on 01524 381 020 or contact us online.