Cartier Santos Galbée 'Slate Grey Rhodium Dial'

The Cartier Santos is derived from the Cartier Santos-Dumont, designed for Alberto Santos-Dumont. This watch was originally conceived by a legend in the watch industry, Alain-Dominique Perrin, Cartier's CEO from 1975 to 1998. In 1978, under Perrin's leadership, Cartier launched the gold-steel Santos. The watch featured an integrated bracelet instead of the traditional leather strap. Cartier also added 18K gold to the case and bracelet to give the watch an extra touch of luxury. The model was extremely popular in the 1980s.

In 1987, the Santos was completely redesigned, renamed, and relaunched as the Santos Galbée. The case lost its rough appearance and received more curved and rounded lugs, making it fit the wrist better than the previous Santos.

This vintage Cartier Santos 1566 is in beautiful condition with its sharp case, retaining all the crisp lines and curves. The watch features the unique "slate grey rhodium dial." When viewed from different angles, the brushed dial's text disappears and the color changes from silver/grey to sometimes a light champagne hue. Together with the 18K gold bezel, this makes the watch a true eye-catcher! Additionally, this stunning Cartier Santos Galbée features its unique blue hands and blue cabochon crown. The gold-steel bracelet, which shows a slight to almost no stretch for its age, features the Cartier logo on the clasp, making this watch not only an everyday classic but also a beautiful piece of jewelry. The movement is equipped with a quick-set date function, making the watch user-friendly as well. This exquisite Cartier Santos 1566 comes with a 12-month warranty from 10 over 10.

What you need to know:
- Reference 1566
- Unique "slate grey rhodium dial"
- CC24XXX serial
- Blue hands and cabochon crown
- Gold/steel Cartier bracelet with logo on the clasp
- 29mm case, perfect for both men and women
- 1-year warranty
- Free insured shipping within the EU

Cartier

In 1847, Louis-François Cartier took over the jewelry workshop from his master. Over the years, his sons and grandsons inherited the family business, opening stores in London and New York. In 1904, King Edward VII of the United Kingdom even named Cartier "the jeweler of kings and the king of jewelers." Cartier became so popular that royal warrants were received from all over the world.

Cartier is primarily known for its jewelry but also has a very rich history in watchmaking. In 1888, Cartier began making women's wristwatches. At that time, it was more common for men to wear traditional pocket watches. In 1904, Louis Cartier gave a wristwatch to his good Brazilian friend, aviation pioneer Santos-Dumont, who complained about the impracticality of using a pocket watch while flying. The Cartier Santos-Dumont was not only the first men's wristwatch but also the first true pilot's watch.

The case of the Santos was seemingly inspired by a square pocket watch that Cartier had made. The design of the dial heralded a shift towards the Art Deco style that would define the 1920s and 1930s. To this day, Cartier's design is influenced by this. The case was designed to be robust, and the screws holding the glass were meant to resemble the legs of the new Eiffel Tower. The black Roman numerals also suggest the radial design of the streets and broad boulevards of Paris.