Cartier Santos 100 XL watch, 1904-2004 commemorative edition, ref. 2656

Lot description — Setdart Auction House

CARTIER Santos 100 XL watch, 1904–2004 commemorative edition, ref. 2656, serial no. 382351XX, ca. 2004. Square stainless steel case with rounded corners and a satin finish, featuring a mirror-polished bezel and eight visible screws. Silver-toned dial signed Cartier, with black Roman numerals and an inner railroad-style minute track. Blued steel sword-shaped hands and a central seconds hand. Seven-faceted heptagonal crown with a carved blue cabochon. Heptagonal crown topped with a faceted blue stone. Sapphire crystal. Brown leather strap with stitching and a scaled texture. Automatic movement, Cartier Caliber 049, based on the ETA 2892-A2. It works. The strap shows delamination of the inner lining. Measurements: 50 x 38 mm, not including the crown. Launched in 2004 to commemorate the centennial of the watch Louis Cartier created for aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, the Santos 100 updates one of the brand’s most recognizable designs with a larger case and a striking presence on the wrist. It retains its key design elements: the rounded-corner geometry, the visible screws on the bezel, and the Roman numerals. The combination of satin-finished and polished surfaces accentuates its architectural character, while the automatic movement combines everyday functionality with Cartier’s watchmaking tradition. In the watch descriptions, the phrase “it works” means that the watch is functioning. Since collector’s watches typically have delicate and complex mechanisms, the buyer is responsible for any general servicing, inspection, battery replacement, adjustment, or repair that may be necessary.