Cartier’s Santos Goes Full Titanium For The First Time Ever in Its 121-Year History

If you haven’t noticed, titanium has been used an awful lot in watchmaking over the past few years. Thanks to innovative manufacturing techniques, the metal is not as difficult or expensive to work with as it once was. Some would say titanium is one of the hallmarks of this current horological era we’re in. And when it’s employed for classic, vintage models, it can certainly catch your attention.

Few watches are as vintage as the Cartier Santos. One of the original wristwatches when it debuted in 1904 and helping define the category as a whole, the model has been often copied but never replicated. However, now it’s about to get a full titanium case for the first time ever. Needless to say, it looks amazing.

A Different Kind of Santos

The titanium Santos is obviously a pretty significant departure from what we’re used to seeing from the Parisian maison. Instead of the brand’s typical mirror-polished surfaces, this new variant features a bead-blasted matte finish across the case and bracelet. It’s a surprisingly industrial aesthetic for Cartier, but it works. The anthracite-colored Grade 5 titanium is 43% lighter than steel while being considerably stronger, and those polished screws on the bezel now pop against the matte backdrop in a way they never have before. There’s still that signature polished chamfer running along the case edges, creating visual definition without overwhelming the design.

Affixed to the 39.8mm case, the crown gets a black spinel instead of the usual blue. Meanwhile, the dial keeps things traditional with a matte white surface, black Roman numerals, and those iconic blued hands. Inside, you’ll find the in-house 1847 MC automatic movement with 42 hours of power reserve, as to be expected.

The Sportier Black Dial Option

Alongside the titanium model, Cartier is also releasing a black dial Santos with Super-LumiNova — the first time the collection has featured lume. It’s the most overtly sporty Santos dial we’ve seen, with white luminous material applied to the Roman numerals, sword hands, and railroad minute track, all glowing green in the dark. The dial itself has some nice texture work, with vertical brushing inside the minutes track and a sunburst finish on the outer section. Unlike the titanium version, this one comes in stainless steel with a brushed bezel rather than the typical polished finish.

The Missing Link

Here’s the thing about this titanium version: it doesn’t come with Cartier’s SmartLink bracelet system, which allows tool-free sizing. That feature is reserved for the steel models. You still get the QuickSwitch system for swapping straps, but resizing the titanium bracelet will require the old-fashioned approach. It’s a minor trade-off considering the overall package, though it’s worth noting if you’re someone who appreciates that kind of convenience.

Spec Sheet

Pricing & Availability

Priced at $11,500, the Santos de Cartier in titanium arrives at Cartier boutiques on November 1. The black dial Santos with Super-LumiNova is available now for $8,650.

Recap

Santos de Cartier Titanium & Lumed Dial Versions

Cartier’s launching its first-ever full titanium Santos with a bead-blasted matte finish that’s way more rugged than anything we’ve seen from the brand before, plus a new black dial version with lume for the first time in the collection’s history.

Learn More: Cartier