Cartier Santos-Dumont La Demoiselle is Classic Elegance re-introduced

French Maison Cartier expands its Santos timepiece collection with four very special limited-edition watches all bearing the names of the Brazilian aviator’s legendary flying machines. With such a colourful character like early aviation pioneer Alberto Santos-Dumont in your archives, it makes sense to capitalise on this particular chapter in Cartier’s history.

Aviation and watchmaking go hand in hand and one of history’s first partnerships involved Louis Cartier and Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont. Famously, we know Cartier made Alberto Santos-Dumont a wristwatch in order to keep his hands-free for the instrumentation.

Alberto Santos-Dumont, the son of a wealthy Brazilian coffee planter, settled in Paris where he cultivated his passion for flight. Santos-Dumont was fascinated by flight and after settling in Paris in the early 1890s became well-known around town for his daring hot air balloon feats, often landing on Parisian rooftops to the surprise of the crowds below.

Very much a celebrity, Santos-Dumont’s dandy outfits and Panama hats soon become all the rage in Paris. An incessant designer, he created the elegant Demoiselle monoplane for his personal transport, a lightweight aircraft with a wire-braced wing mounted over an open-framework fuselage made from bamboo and landing gear built around a tricycle. In 1908, the Demoiselle (No.19) became the world’s first series-production aircraft.

Alberto Santos-Dumont’s request to Louis Cartier to devise a timepiece that would let him read the time without having to take his hands off the controls resulted in the world’s first men’s wristwatch in 1904 and spawned an entire collection in his name.

As a man obsessed with machines and mechanics, his request to Louis Cartier to come up with a watch that he could consult without having to take his hands off the controls was perfectly in character. In 1904 Louis Cartier presented his friend with the first purpose-designed wristwatch with a solid, rounded square case and rivets on the bezel that might have been inspired by those used by Gustave Eiffel to hold together his famous tower. A precursor of the clean lines that would mark the Art Deco period, the dial featured bold blackened Roman numerals, the railway track minute counter and even the sapphire cabochon in the crown that have become iconic features of so many Cartier watches.

It was by no means the first wristwatch in history, women had been wearing wristlets long before men discovered their innate practicality, but it has gone down in history as the first wristwatch specifically designed for men, in this case, a pilot. Although it was not a technical tool watch for pilots, it did accompany Santos-Dumont on the first filmed airplane flight in 1906. In 1911, in a similar move to Santos-Dumont and his Demoiselle, Louis Cartier enlisted movement maker Edmond Jaeger to start producing the Santos watch on a commercial scale.

In October 1906, on board his boxy ’14-bis’ biplane, he covered a distance of 60 metres at a height of roughly five metres before a large crowd in the Bois de Boulogne marking the first flight of a heavier-than-air machine in Europe. Barely a month later, on 12 November 1906, Santos-Dumont set the first world record for a flight of 220 metres in 21.5 seconds.

For seven years, Alberto Santos-Dumont had the privilege of being the only one to wear this model as the Santos-Dumont was not officially available to the public until 1911. When the Santos-Dumont finally arrived in the Paris store, it was offered in several different model variations, all made in platinum or yellow gold and all in a fairly small (by today’s standards) case measuring from about 24.8 x 34.8 mm. The mechanical movements were in general supplied by EWC (European Watch & Clock Co./Jaeger-LeCoultre).

Cartier Santos, 1904

Still the only piece in Cartier’s collection to bear the original wearer’s name, the Santos was relaunched in 1978 appearing in steel and gold models and bi-metal models with an integrated bracelet. Proving its might as a timeless classic, the Santos was revisited again in 2018 although we didn’t cover the 2019 iterations with quartz-powered movements. Earlier this year, Cartier introduced a larger but flatter and more elegant Santos-Dumont XL fitted with a hand-wound movement. Closer in spirit to the original, the watch is dressier than the 2018 collection and has lost some of its sporty rotundity in favour of a leaner profile.

Today four limited editions christened with the names of Santos-Dumont’s flying machines join the collection. Crafted in precious platinum, yellow gold, and a combination of yellow gold and steel, all four models are fitted with an ultra-slim manual-winding movement.

Cartier Santos Dumont Le Brésil

The Cartier Santos Dumont Le Brésil is named after Santos-Dumont’s first balloon design. Made from Japanese silk, it was a particularly small, spherical balloon with a wicker basket and made its maiden flight 4 July 1898. Described by Santos-Dumont as the ‘smallest’ and ‘most beautiful’ of his balloons, an engraving of the balloon can be seen on the caseback. Interpreted in a luxurious and precious platinum case measuring 43.5mm x 31.4mm and with a slim case height of 7.3mm, the shape of the case and the layout correspond to the non-limited edition models introduced in January 2020.

The presence of a manual-winding movement across all the models means that the case is thinner than the 2018 models and its overall aesthetics are flatter for a more elegant presence. The dial is silvered and brushed with polished metallic Roman numerals, sword-shaped hands and a ruby in the winding crown. A limited and numbered edition of 100 pieces, the platinum Santos Dumont Le Brésil is presented on a grey alligator strap.

 

Cartier Santos Dumont La Baladeuse

‘La Baladeuse’ refers to a motorised airship – aka dirigible – used by Santos-Dumont to fly over Paris in 1903. Built to demonstrate the possibilities and advantages of air travel, Santos-Dumont would use his single-seater airship to stage surprise visits to his friends. Convinced that the ‘day will come when aerial omnibuses will transport tourists and business travellers’, you could say that Santos-Dumont was also a visionary.

The case dimensions are the same as the Santos Dumont Le Brésil but here the watch is crafted in 18k yellow gold. Like the models presented in January, the case features a contrasting brushed and polished surfaces and has abandoned the ‘brancards’ that appeared on the 2018 models making it closer to the original. Another distinctive feature of these 2020 models is the pointed shape of the stone in the crown, in this case, a blue sapphire stone. A limited and numbered edition of 300 pieces, the Santos Dumont ‘La Baladeuse’ comes on a green alligator strap.

 

Cartier Santos Dumont 14-Bis

The Santos Dumont 14-Bis celebrates Santos-Dumont’s 1906 flight of 220 metres that won the Aéro-Club de France prize for the first officially observed flight of over 100m. The engraving on the caseback features the famous ‘no.14 bis’ that was described as a ‘kite of compartments’. The pilot, standing in the fuselage was connected to the rudder and fins by cables.

The Santos Dumont ’14-Bis’ features a bi-metal construction with a polished yellow gold bezel and a brushed steel case. The dial features a sunray brushed anthracite grey background with white Roman numerals and an interior square. Also worth noting is the classic railway minutes track that now placed on the periphery of the dial and not in the centre, keeping with the modifications introduced earlier this year. The most affordable model of the three and limited to 500 pieces, the crown is set with a blue synthetic spinel cabochon.

 

Cartier Santos Dumont La Demoiselle

The pièce de résistance of this limited edition collection is the Santos Dumont La Demoiselle, an XL-sized watched of just 30 pieces engraved with the most elegant of Santos’ flying machines. Created in 1908, ‘La Demoiselle’ is Alberto Santos-Dumont’s famous monoplane and one of the first aircraft to be mass-produced. With it began a new era: “And we will sail through the air seeing Europe unfold at our feet like a geographical map. There we will remain, suspended between the stars and the earth”.

With the new Cartier Santos-Dumont La Demoiselle, the Parisian Maison elects to take the weave motif of Alberto’s signature Panama hat and incorporate the texture into the dial and strap of the maison’s latest Santos-Dumont XL. The dial is a creamy straw colour and the numerals are painted in white with a black shadow. Another difference is the Breguet-style hands of this model, similar to those used on the first Santos watches. The measurements of the platinum case – 46.6mm x 39.9mm with a slim height of just 7.5mm – are identical to those of the models introduced in January 2020. The crown is set with a ruby cabochon and the watch comes with two straps, one fabric strap with a woven Panama texture and a brown alligator strap.

The new Cartier Santos-Dumont La Demoiselle pays homage not just to Alberto’s technical excellence but also his stylistic finesse. For the first time since Cartier made his pioneering pilot’s watch,

The caseback is sealed but the movement inside is the 430 MC, a manual-winding calibre based on the Piaget 430P with a lean height of just 2.1mm. Used across the board in various Piaget Altiplano models and by Cartier, the movement beats at 21,600vph and the power reserve of 38 hours is on the short side – but understandable considering the low profile of the watch.

 

As the most limited of all with 30 pieces, ‘the Santos Dumont La Demoiselle comes in its own lacquered maple wood box with Chamel Eco Black interior along with a brown alligator leather travel pouch and a pair of matching Santos de Cartier cufflinks in white gold with red tiger eye.

The Cartier Santos Dumont Limited Editions are available at Cartier boutiques worldwide. Come into the beautiful world of Cartier.

 

 

 

 

Cartier Santos Dumont 1575 ‘Platinum’

French Maison Cartier had humble beginnings when it was established in 1847 by Louis-François Cartier in Paris, France. Louis-François had taken over the business from his master, the jeweler Adolphe Picard, who assisted in moving the premises to a more prime location which was to serve Cartier well in the coming years.

Over the years, his sons and grandsons inherited the family business and expanded the brand by opening shops in New York and London. King Edward VII of the United Kingdom granted the French Maison a prestigious royal warrant in 1904, calling the brand ‘The jeweler of kings and the king of jewellers’. Such was the renown of Cartier, that royal warrants soon rolled in from all over the world (among which, Belgium, Egypt, Greece, Siam, Spain, Portugal, and Russia).

Louis Cartier, grandson of the founder, revolutionised timepieces when he introduced the Santos watch in 1904. © Ministère de la Culture – Médiathèque du Patrimoine, Dist. RMN / Atelier de Nadar

While Cartier is known primarily for its jewellery, it also has a storied history in watchmaking. Cartier’s first foray in watchmaking came in 1888, offering exclusively ladies models. In 1904, Louis Cartier gave his friend and Brazilian aviation pioneer Alberto Santos Dumont a wrist watch to wear during his flights. Until then, wrist watches were worn exclusively by women and men opted for the traditional pocket watch. The ‘Santos-Dumont’ was not only the first wristwatch geared towards men but also the first pilot’s watch!

According to Maison Cartier, it is the portrait of a modern man and the product of experimentation by two visionaries and friends, Louis Cartier and Alberto Santos-Dumont.

Of course, we’re talking about the Cartier Santos. The first purpose-designed, modern wrist watch that was created after pioneer of aviation Alberto Santos-Dumont complained about his difficulty checking the time on his pocket watch while flying.

This super slim piece was made by Cartier back in the year 1990 after the original model, carries reference 1575 and has this time a platinum case  with a size of 29 x 29 millimeter, with rivet design, sapphire-set crown, to a black alligator leather strap

This Santos’ dial design is exactly the one we are familiar with as we’re talking about Cartier, Roman numeral markers and blue hands. On the right side of the case we’ll we’ll find the exquisite blue sapphire crown that definitely completes this iconic Cartier masterpiece.

This manual timeless classic is available at Amsterdam Vintage Watches.

 

 

 

 

 

Cartier Ion Orchard reopens its doors with a special exhibition titled Cartier, Icon of Style

By now you must have already caught sight of the gorgeous Cartier ferris wheel parked outside Ion Orchard shopping mall – or seen it plastered all over Instagram. This gigantic structure is just the first of many things happening at this Cartier boutique, which is set to reopen its doors officially on 24^th November. And did you know that this three-story boutique is the largest Cartier store in all of Southeast Asia?

Spanning a total of 688 square metres, the store’s remodelling was done by the famed Parisian artist, designer, scenographer, painter and photographer Bruno Moinard, who made sure to marry the French Art de Vivre (art of living, the French way) with multiple references to Singaporean culture as a Garden City – embracing the beauty, richness and diversity of it all.

Artist’s impression of Le Salon Cartier on the third level of Cartier ION Orchard

Inspired by the Singapore’s tropical climate, the external 20-metre-long glass façade is patterned with palm trees and raindrops to elicit a sense of privacy and exclusiveness. Another key feature is a custom-made sculpture of art – in the stairwell between the first and second floors. The Cartier panther – carved in bas-relief – nestles amongst the tropical environment on a plaster panel, referencing to Singapore’s very own flora and fauna.

On the third and highest floor, the Le Salon Cartier has been enriched with Peranakan artefacts exuding the splendour of this beautiful local Singaporean culture.

Shirin ‘Nina Dyer’ Aga Khan Panther Bangle

But more exciting news awaits. Cartier Singapore has – as part of the reopening celebrations – specially curated an exhibition of selected historic and extraordinary pieces brought in from the Cartier archives in Paris. The exhibition titled ‘Cartier, Icon of Style’ has been specially curated – showcasing selected beautiful historic and extraordinary jewellery pieces.

More than a Cartier symbol. A timeless emblem first tamed by Louis Cartier and his muse, Jeanne Toussaint, the totemic panther carries on her reign.

Titled Cartier, Icon of Style, the exhibition highlights, among other things, the origins of the Maison’s love affair with the panther motif. The French Maison was the first jeweller to adopt the panther. The elegant feline was used for the firts time on a wristwatch in 1914 with a setting of onyx recreating the animal’s fur.

Barbara Hutton’s Tiger Clip

When Jeanne Toussaint was appointed as creative director in 1933, the panter became even more as an emblematic motif for the Maison. Toussaint worked closely alongside founder Louis Cartier and was nicknamed ‘La Panthère’, presumably due to her freedom, strength of character and the love pather in her lifestyle. One of her most outstanding inputs lies in the search on volume and attidudes of the animal. For Jeanne Toussaint, the panther – now an iconic motif – is clearly the emblem of timeless femininity unfettered by convention.

Marked by wild and beautiful femininity, the fearless and audacious panther later seduced countless personalities; royalty, celebrities and femme fatales, who would continue the legend through new savoir-faire and unexplored attitudes in precious materials.

Both, Louis Cartier and Jeanne Toussaint, also had a mutual interest in, not to say a fascination with, other cultures. This has helped shape not just the aesthetic of one or other object, but the entire Cartier style. A visual language, wich has extended to every creation and whose ‘vocabulary’ has been constantly expanding.

The Duchess of Windsor’s Panther Brooch

The ‘Cartier, Icon of Style’ exhibition highlights the orgins of the panther and its rich connections with some of the most well-known figures, such as the Duchess of Windsor, Shirin – Nina Dyer – Aga Khan and Barbara Hutton, just to name a few.

Open to the public, the exhibition will run from November 24 to December 6. Monday to Friday: 12pm to 9.00pm, Saturday to Sunday: 10.30am to 9.00pm. Keen individuals are encouraged to indicate registration interest on Cartier ‘Icon of Style’ as viewing slots are limited.

Come into the world of Cartier.

 

 

 

 

The story of S.T Dupont

 

Photographer to Napoleon III and an innovator with a keen eye for beauty, the 25 year-old Simon Tissot-Dupont had a vision of creating exceptional personalised travel trunks for Parisian high society.

Born in Savoy, Simon Tissot-Dupont founded a carriage company which was destroyed in a fire in 1872. The same year, he bought a workshop wich made leather briefcases for diplomats and businessmen. Later in 1884, Dupont became the supplier to one of the world’s leading retailersof the time and one of world’s the largest shops – Les Grands Magasins du Louvre – while maintaining his private clientele. The personalised travel trunks with bespoke detaling and personalised initials soon became an essential accessory for the European elite. Napoleon III and Empress Eugenie were amongst his first customers. The Maison’s client book included royalty, world leaders, screen legends and style icons living up to Lucien’s Duponts moto: ‘Make it more beautiful. Make it expensive. Make it innovative’.

Dupont handed over his company in 1919 to his sons, André and Lucien, who, trading under the name of Les Fils de S.T. Dupont (the Sons of S.T. Dupont), relaunched the activity. In 1921 the two Tissot-Dupont brothers bought their own Hôtel Particulier at 8bis, rue Dieu in Paris to cater for an ever growing demand for S.T. Dupont luxury high-quality trunks, travel cases, and accessories. Craftsmen were employed and patents were taken out to protect industrial secrets. 250 workers and 17 separate traders were involved in the manufacture, including goldsmiths, woodworkers, engravers, leather craftsmen, lacquer workers, and locksmiths.

A passion for producing the finest in luxury products. A design atelier where ideas and innovation are brought to life and where quality rings true.

S.T. Dupont transferred its workshops from rue Dieu in Paris back to the family’s hometown of Faverges in Savoy in 1924. Five years later, Lucien Tissot-Dupont was invited to New York by famous Parisian jeweller Louis Cartier to present his travel cases in their 5th Avenue shop and became an instant success, setting the standard for luxury travel accessories. On the ship going to New York, he learned about the Wall Street crash. In response, on his subsequent return to Paris, he decided to move even further upmarket and cater to clients unaffected by the crash.

When, in 1941, the Maharajah of Patiala ordered 100 exquisite minaudière evening bags in lacquer for his harem, each containing a solid gold cigarette lighter, our innovative artisans brought their artistic approach to designing the world’s first luxury lighter. Six years later, as France’s leading leather goods artisans, S.T. Dupont were commissioned to produce a personalised travel case for the wedding of Princess Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth II and Hollywood actor Humphrey Bogart commissioned the artisans at S.T. Dupont to design a lightweight travel bag for air travel and for weekends on his yacht, the Santana. Continuing their tradition of supplying the world’s elite, in 1951, S.T. Dupont artisans were tasked with the role of creating a bespoke travel case specially designed for the Duchess of Windsor. In 1953 André Dupont created his first ladies’ handbag, the ‘Riviera’ as a limited edition, using exotic leathers to complete his range of special orders. The Begum Om Habibeh Aga Khan and actress Audrey Hepburn became one of his first clients.

Make it more beautiful. Make it expensive. Make it innovative.
Lucien Tissot-Duppont

The French Maison took a new direction in 1973 with the production of its first luxury pen, the Classique, made of sterling silver. When Jackie Kennedy Onassis mentioned she’d love a pen to match her beloved personalised lighter, S.T. Dupont’s artisans designed the first luxury ballpoint based on her lighter’s drive wheel. The company also experienced a renaissance of its classic luxury goods – leather goods, watches and cufflinks, wich it continues to produce today. The 135th anniversary of the Maison was celebrated in 2007. The company is known today for its expertise in luxury goods crafted of precious metals, leather and featuring Chinese lacquer detailing.

Fragrances were an important addition to the luxury lines offered by this prestigious French Maison. The first S.T. Dupont Pour Homme and Pour Femme were introduced in 1998. S.T. Dupont fragrances are produced under license by Interparfums.

 

 

 

Cartier Celebrating 100 years of Tank

This year, Cartier is celebrating the 100th anniversary of their Tank watch. Created by Louis Cartier in 1917, inspired by the (then) new Renault tanks that were used at the front during WW1. Based on this design, in the years the French Maison has made beautiful variations; the Tank Louis Cartier, the Tank Américaine and the Tank Française.

Still fine, ever popular, available in numerous iterations, and enjoyed by men and women alike, the Cartier Tank is a case study not only for how a moment in time can be captured by a watch, but also for how the echoes of its design can reverberate long into the future.

The Tank design has been copied by many, but there’s only one original of course. The Tank is a rectangular watch, but not exactly, as the sides (also referred to as brancards) are a tad bit longer than the center part of the case. It allows the strap to become part of the overall design of the watch.

Most Tank watches are characterized by having Roman numerals, chemin de fer (double line on the dial that represents the chapter ring), the aforementioned brancards and the winding crown with sapphire cabochon. An elegant appearance that is suitable for both men and women. And can be seen on the wrist of many famous men and women, today and in the past, like Gary Cooper, Catherine Deneuve, Jean Cocteau, Begum Om Habibeh Aga Khan, Princess Grace of Monaco, Princess Diana, Alain Delon, Gunter Sachs, Andy Warhol, Yves Saint Laurent and Jackie Kennedy. To name just a few.

Legend has it, that one of the first Tank watches was presented by Louis Cartier to General John Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Force in Europe in WW1. A token of thanks, and this gift also made him one of the first prominent owners of a Tank watch.

A serie of 15 videos created by design studio David et Pauline celebrating the 100th years of the biggest watch icon: the Tank. By imagining a sleek design built with geometrics lines, shapes, patterns, typography, and by creating clean animations, the videos put emphasis on all the different aspects that makes the timepiece an eternal and contemporary legend.

 

The videos were posted on Cartier’s Instagram and the video designs are currently used to introduce the Tank collection on Cartier’s website. Above, an editing from 15 videos.

Come into the beautiful world of Cartier

 

About David et Pauline

Founderd in 2013, Studio David et Pauline is a multidisciplinary Creative Studio who offers services in film & art direction, animation, set design for still & moving images. Founded in Berlin by Pauline Schleimer & David Després, the studio loves to explore new techniques & graphic universes, working with an experimental & sensitive approach. The award-winning studio works as a creative partner in all aspects branding, for clients across disciplines.

Pauline is art director & illustrator, she studied at Supinfocom & University of Art & Design Strasbourg. David is film director & animator, he studied at Gobelins in Paris. Driven by their passion for creativity, they love mixing different medias & playing with eye-catching ‘mise en scène’. They are known for their high art films, acute aesthetic & authentic touch, over 10 years of in depth industry experience.

Come into the creative world of David & Pauline.

 

 

 

 

Cartier Santos Vendome Steel 18K White Gold and Titan

 

One of the most famous watch designs: The Cartier Santos. A timeless model that everybody knows, and is copied vèry often.

In 1904, Louis Cartier granted the wish of the famous Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos Dumont: to be able to tell time while flying. The birth of one of the first ever wristwatches sealed the bonds of friendship between these two pioneers. The rounded angles of the dial, the seamless curve of the horns, and the exposed screws made for an iconic watch that would inspire countless reinterpretations.

Most people know the scquare model, but did you know that their was also an octagonal and round Vendôme version? Most versions where made in steel with yellow gold, some in steel with white gold, others in made of massif 18k gold.

This is one of my favorites! The Cartier Santos Vendôme Steel with 18k white gold and dark grey dail.