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The Cartier Santos is the oldest men's wristwatch design still in production. Louis Cartier built the original in 1904 for the aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, and the square bezel with exposed screws has defined the line ever since. This collection brings together pre-owned examples of the current Santos de Cartier range alongside custom diamond-set Santos watches finished in our London workshop, each one inspected and authenticated before sale.
The Santos de Cartier Range
Cartier reworked the Santos in 2018 and the current generation is the strongest the line has been in decades. The medium model measures 35.1mm by 41.9mm and the large 39.8mm by 47.5mm, both powered by Cartier's in-house calibre 1847 MC automatic movement with a 42-hour power reserve and 100 metres of water resistance. The date window appears on the large model only.
The defining practical feature is the QuickSwitch system, which releases the bracelet or strap at the press of a tab with no tools, paired with SmartLink push-piece bracelet sizing. Every steel Santos ships with both a bracelet and a leather strap, so one watch covers two registers. Our stock typically includes the steel medium in white, blue and green dials (references WSSA0029, WSSA0063 and WSSA0061) plus rose gold pieces such as the WGSA0031, and replacement leathers for the QuickSwitch channel sit in our Cartier straps collection.
Custom Diamond-Set Cartier Santos
The Santos takes diamonds better than almost any square watch. The flat bezel, the brancards running down each side of the case and the exposed screw detailing give our setters clean geometry to work with, whether the base watch is a current WSSA0030 or a Santos Galbee from the curved-case generation Cartier introduced in 1987. The Galbee pieces in this collection, including the medium W20018D6 and the steel and gold W20011C4, carry hand-set stones applied in-house rather than bought-in aftermarket work.
If you already own a Santos and want it set, our watch customisation service handles bezel, case and dial setting on your own watch, with the movement protected throughout and the work documented.
Santos or Santos 100?
Buyers often conflate the two, and they are different watches. The Santos 100, produced from 2004 to around 2017, is larger, fully square at the bezel and uses screw-fitted straps rather than QuickSwitch. It is now discontinued, which puts every example on the pre-owned market. If that is the model you are after, our Cartier Santos 100 collection holds factory and diamond-set examples across the Medium, Large and XL Chronograph cases. This page covers the current Santos de Cartier generation and the earlier Galbee line.
Buying a Pre-Owned Cartier Santos from Time 4 Diamonds
Time 4 Diamonds has traded in pre-owned and customised luxury watches from London since 2005. Every Santos we sell is authenticated and inspected by our in-house team before listing, and ships with Time 4 Diamonds papers, a presentation box and a 12-month warranty. UK delivery is next working day on orders placed before 3pm, with insured shipping across Europe and the Middle East.
Stock moves quickly on this line, particularly the green and blue dial mediums. If the reference or configuration you want is not listed, our watch sourcing service can locate it through our trade network, or message us directly on WhatsApp at +44 7496 005467 with the reference number. You can also view the wider Cartier watch collection for the Tank, Ballon Bleu and Panthere lines.
Cartier Santos FAQs
Is the Cartier Santos a good investment?
The Santos holds value well by Cartier standards, particularly steel models on bracelet, but it is not a Rolex sports model and should be bought to wear. Pre-owned pricing varies by reference, condition and whether box and papers are present.
What sizes does the Santos de Cartier come in?
The core range runs medium (35.1mm x 41.9mm) and large (39.8mm x 47.5mm), with an extra-large case reserved for the chronograph. The medium has no date; the large carries a date at 6 o'clock.
Can you replace or customise a Cartier Santos dial?
Yes. We fit factory and custom dials for Santos references, including diamond pave work, with fitting carried out by our in-house watchmakers. Available dials are listed in our Cartier dials collection.
Do aftermarket straps fit the Santos de Cartier?
Only straps cut with the QuickSwitch end-fitting will lock into the 2018-onward Santos. Generic spring-bar straps will not fit. We cut leather, alligator and rubber straps to the QuickSwitch channel for the medium and large cases.
To handle a Santos in person, book an appointment at our showroom at 3 More London Riverside through our contact page.