Cartier Paris Santos-Dumont 18K YG (Ref. 96054) "Extra Plate", 1980s

Dealer description — Craft & Tailored

The Cartier name is synonymous with luxury and has been since the brand's inception in 1847. Offering bespoke and unique jewelry to the world’s elite allowed Cartier to grow steadily through the 19th century and eventually introduced new offerings to their clientele. Cartier’s first timepiece was actually the world's first aviation watch and was introduced in 1904, only a year after the Wright Brothers' famous first flight in 1903. The inspiration for this timepiece came from Louis-Francois Cartier’s close friend Alberto Santos-Dumont, an early Brazilian pioneer in aviation, after becoming frustrated using a pocket watch to time his flights, which during this time were under a minute. The Santos-Dumont hit Cartier's showrooms in 1911 with a Jaeger-LeCoultre movement and introduced the rest of the world to the iconic art deco design that today, remains only slightly changed. This Carter Santos-Dumont is best known amongst collectors as the "Extra Plate" or "Extra Thin" and is one of the thinnest Cartier watches ever produced and features a total thickness of 4.4mm. This impressive feat is achieved through the utilization of the renowned Frederic Piguet Cal. 21 ultra-thin mechanical movement. Though this Cartier Santos-Dumont "Extra Plate" is one of the thinnest watches Cartier ever made, it retains the standard height and width dimensions of the Santos-Dumont in this era. This makes for a perfectly proportioned timepiece, both beautiful and elegant with the added benefit of sliding under the shirt cuff with ease. Stock # CTRPSD96054EP Brand Cartier Style Santos-Dumont "Extra Plate" Model 96054 Serial 10XX Size Men's Material 18K Yellow Gold Dial White Roman "Paris" Millimeters 27x36 Strap 2pc Handmade Leather Strap W/ 18K YG Cartier Tang Buckle CASE & BRACELET The extra-thin 18K yellow gold case is in beautifully preserved condition, showing elements of only gentle polishing in the past while maintaining the originally intended bevels, chamfers, and finishing throughout. The case retains its original blue sapphire cabochon crown. The back of the case retains all of the watch's original factory markings and hallmarks in crisp and clear condition. The watch comes supplied on a 2pc handmade leather strap with the original 18K yellow gold Cartier tang buckle. DIAL & HANDS The original white "Paris" dial with black Roman numerals is in excellent overall condition and features a beautiful vintage aesthetic. The surface of the dial does exhibit spidering which is extremely common for these dials, but there is no actual chipping present. The original blue hands are in perfect condition. ACCESSORIES