Cartier Santos Dumont 90th anniversary - Platinum - Salmon dial
The Watch
This exceptional Cartier Santos Dumont 90th Anniversary Limited Edition is one of only 90 examples ever produced, making it a true collector’s treasure. Drawing inspiration from Louis Cartier’s original 1904 Santos Dumont — one of the first wristwatches created for aviation pioneer Alberto Santos-Dumont — this commemorative piece pays homage while subtly modernizing proportions.
The case, executed in satin-finished platinum, measures 36mm x 27mm, slightly larger than its vintage counterpart and perfectly sized as an elegant dress watch. Its slender profile is owed to the ultra-thin, hand-wound Frédéric Piguet calibre, celebrated for its precision and refinement. A platinum plate bezel, secured with the emblematic miniature screws, underscores the Santos’ enduring design DNA.
The dial, crafted in a warm salmon jubilee finish, is beautifully contrasted by bold black Roman numerals and an outer railway minute track. Echoing the historic model, it features blued Breguet-style hands and is paired with Cartier’s classic white gold folding buckle.
Turning to the back, the case is engraved with the Santos Dumont signature, its unique serial, and its individual number within the limited run of 90 pieces. The result is a watch that seamlessly fuses Cartier’s horological heritage with timeless Parisian elegance — a piece as refined as it is historically significant.
The Movement
The Cartier Santos Dumont 90th Anniversary edition, reference 1575-1, is driven by the hand-wound 021MC caliber, derived from the legendary Frédéric Piguet 21. Celebrated as the world’s thinnest mechanical movement, it measures just 20.4mm in diameter and a mere 1.75mm in height — a record it has impressively maintained for over two decades. The 021MC offers a 42-hour power reserve and is constructed with 18 jewels. While the original caliber operated at 18,000 vibrations per hour, Cartier refined it to a frequency of 21,600 A/h, ensuring greater precision and reliability.
How It Wears
There is a real feeling of special when wearing this Santos Dumont 90th anniversary. The cool platinum case sits flat and smooth on the wrist, its minimal height and slimline construction allowing it to fit with complete ease under any style of sleeve. Unobtrusive yet fabulously distinct in its appearance, it is an absolute delight to wear.
Condition
This limited-edition Cartier Santos Dumont 90th Anniversary model (XX/90) is in near-mint condition and functions flawlessly. It is fitted with its original white gold Cartier folding buckle and has undergone a complete Cartier service, remaining unworn since its return in Q2/2025. Cartier service papers are also included.
Origin
Since 1847 the Parisian ‘King of Jewellers, Jewellers of Kings’ has produced many instant classics after turning its eye to watches. But no one timepiece signed off by Cartier can compete with the historical account of the Santos Dumont, the first wristwatch created in 1904 by Louis Cartier.
In an era marked by invention and adventure, Alberto Santos-Dumont pioneered in aviation. He was the first to fly in a powered airplane with his 14-biplane in Europe and today we thank the world’s first pilot wristwatch – the Cartier Santos Dumont – to him. Santos-Dumont was born in 1873 in Cabunga, Brazil into a wealthy family of coffee producers. Riding locomotive and steam tractors from the family plantation whilst being young, he already had his head in the clouds, dreaming of flying.
The family moved to Europe on the search for medical treatment when Santos-Dumont’s father became paralyzed after a horse-riding accident. Alberto’s imagination and flying obsession was further sparked in Paris, after seeing hot air balloons hover over the city. His first designed balloon, the Brésil, was flown in 1898. It didn’t take long for he was designing and flying steerable balloons (coined ‘dirigible’). It was said he would float at rooftop level around Paris and would land next to cafés in the city fancying lunch.
Alberto Santos-Dumont wanted to have his hands free for controls while flying – pocket watches were no longer ticking the rhythm of his ambitions. That is why Louis Cartier created the Santos Dumont model in 1904 for his aviator friend, allowing ‘this man of action to tell the time more easily whilst in flight’.
‘What is that strapped onto his wrist?’, was the common response looking at newspaper photos of Alberto in his flying machine, that only became available for the public in 1911 (in collaboration with Edmond Jaeger). Aside from being the first pilot’s watch, the deployant buckle that Cartier developed for the Santos Dumont in 1909 was another first on the market.
Today its successor, the Cartier Santos (1978), is part of the horological dictionary, with its importance resonating through in the Collection Privée Cartier Paris. Belatedly celebrating the 90th anniversary of the historical Santos-Dumont (1904-1994), Cartier launched 90 splendid Santos Dumont watches in platinum with a salmon dial.
If you desire to take a closer look at this precious timepiece, don't hesitate to contact us and make an appointment. We are based in Ghent, Belgium
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| Reference | 1575-1 |
|---|---|
| Movement | Manual Wound |
| Caliber |
Calibre 021MC
|
| Dial | Salmon |
| Size (Case) | 27mm X 36mm |
| Material (Case) | Platinum |
| Bracelet | Custom strap |
| Buckle | Cartier wg folding buckle |
| Condition | Like new |
| Year | 1994 |
| Papers | Cartier service papers |
| Box | - |
| Warranty | 2 years |