Cartier Santos Octagon Two-Tone ref. 187902 Full Set

Perhaps one of the most legendary timepieces ever, the Cartier Santos is the watch collection we must thank for the modern watchmaking industry as we know and love it. Designed in 1904 as the first-ever pilot’s watch and thus the first-ever tool watch, the Santos has continued to push boundaries ever since it was strapped to the wrist of famous aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont. As the story goes, Santos-Dumont asked his jeweller friend Louis Cartier for a wristwatch that he could wear while flying, as it would be much more practical than using his pocket watch while also trying to control his plane. As such, Louis Cartier created what would become the Santos Dumont, the model that gave rise to the Santos collection.

Evolving through the eras that it has existed within like most pieces of design, the Cartier Santos collection has been unapologetically fluid in its unique ability to encapsulate the aesthetic zeitgeist of whatever design period that it finds itself in, and the Santos Octagonal collection, which the example we have here hails from, clearly takes inspiration from the increasingly popular octagonal watches of its time, such as the Royal Oak, Nautilus and 222. 

With an octagonal bezel boasting exposed screws, a design motif that finds itself in the watch’s bracelet too, the Santos Octagonal is a distinctively sporty piece of Cartier’s historic repertoire. Made of stainless steel and 18kt yellow gold, this example enhances that sporty design with an air of luxury that is truly timeless. Offered as a 30mm variant, this two-tone quartz reference is a wonderful blend of the collection’s casual sportiness and its distinctively luxurious execution, with its two-tone construction housing an off-white dial that boasts all of the design details that have become synonymous with Cartier’s displays, such as black Roman numeral hour markers, a railroad-style minute track, and blued steel hands, making it immediately recognisable as as a Cartier. 

Offered in very good condition, this ref. 187902 is presented without any large or obvious signs of damage such as deep scratches, dents, or abrasions. It does show its age as a watch from the 1980s, with the sort of shallow scratches that one would expect for a vintage watch. Its white dial has warmed into a shade of off-white, which serves as the perfect backdrop for the warmth of its 18kt yellow gold bezel and bracelet link screws. Powered by a quartz movement, this example functions and keeps time as it should, and its deployant clasp is tight and secure.

Brand: Cartier
Model: Santos Octagon
Reference: 187902
Set: Watch, box, and papers
Year: Circa 1990s
Dial: Off-white
Material: Stainless steel and 18kt yellow gold
Movement: Quartz cal. 87
Case Diameter: 30mm
Thickness: 6.5mm
Lug-to-lug: 41mm
Weight: 70g
Lug Width: 16mm
Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel and 18kt yellow gold bracelet
Internal stock number: HW-26-A006