“Dear, do you notice anything different about me?” That’s what the Cartier Santos Dumont Rewind would’ve asked its imaginary husband. Introduced at this year’s Watches & Wonders Geneva, here is our view on what is unique, different and appealing of this novelty.
Review: the new Cartier Santos Dumont Rewind
The Carter Santos Dumont has a retail price of USD 38,400. It is limited to 200 pieces worldwide and as of late June, there are still individuals who are still able to get their hands on one.
Months after Watches and Wonders, we are still drooling over the some of the novelties. And here is one. But perhaps it is one that may have been flying low. So low that as of the date of this review, we have not found it on Cartier’s website. Basically, a case of if you know, you know.
First Impression / The Case
Immediate impression is that this is a regular Santos Dumont with a red dial. But look closer, and the ruby cabochon beckons, giving a hint that this might be a special piece. A cabochon is de rigeur for a Santos Dumont, but a red one matching the dial colour is unusual. Pick the watch up, and the heft tells the tale of a platinum case.
The dimension of the Santos Dumont Rewind is 43.5 mm x 31.4 mm with a 7.3 mm thickness, a bit smaller than the Santos Dumont XL which measures 46.6 mm x 33.9 mm x 7.5 mm. The case is finished with matte brushed surfaces with high polish anglage and a mirror polished bezel. Very handsome.
The Dial
First thing that the 200 individuals and all of us who are gawking at the Cartier Santos Dumont Rewind is the gorgeous red dial. This red dial is not just any red dial but a carnelian stone dial. For those who are new to carnelian, the material is a brownish-red semiprecious stone. The red has a smokey vibe and is certainly very gorgeous.
After being smitten by the red carnelian dial, we cannot help but notice the roman numerals are done in a reverse order. The hour markers go counter-clockwise. Gimmicky? Perhaps. But to us, certainly very cool and as it is rather discreet, a quiet wink at those who know.
The unusual placement of roman numerals is complimented by the rhodium-finish steel apple-shaped hands that pays homage to the first Santos Dumont that was released in 1904. Now one would wonder what is the power driving the watch that allows it to run backwards.
The Movement
When flip to the back of the watch, we do not see any visible window to the movement but is greeted by a mirror reflected signature of Alberto Santos-Dumont engraved on it. Inside, the platinum case back houses the Cartier 230MC movement. What is this movement one might wonder?
During the Watches and Wonders presentation, the Cartier team shared that it is a new mechanical movement developed for this watch. That certainly intrigued us quite a bit but upon digging further, we found out that it is a modified 430MC movement used in the Santos Dumont XL.
The 230MC movement started out as a Piaget 430P ultra thin movement (thickness at 2.1 mm). Why Piaget, one might wonder? The ultra-thin aspect. And Piaget, being also part of Richemont is a sister brand.
The Strap
Straps from Cartier are usually nothing short of amazing, by virtue of the fact that they have in-house capability to produce their own leather goods. In the case of the Santos Dumont Rewind, the matching alligator strap in a dark burgundy/red is beautiful.
While most straps in the Cartier collection has a quick release feature, an interesting detail on the Santos Dumont series is having a metal plate on strap where the quick release spring bar is located. This feature would enable the strap to last longer and reduce the wear and tear on the leather itself. What a genius idea!
Apart from the strap, one other detail that we appreciate is the 950 Platinum ardillon buckle. Good to see that Cartier retains platinum on the buckle, when many of their competitors would just simply slap on a white metal buckle and call it a day.
Competitive Landscape
Though the “rewind” is not Cartier’s first rodeo on this backward reading watch. They did released a Santos Galbée sometime ago, but such watches are rare to come by. This rarified status remains, as the Rewind is limited to only 200 pieces.
First watch that comes to mind is the Franck Muller Crazy Hours. No, we are not crazy, it doesn’t tell time backwards but the Crazy Hours tells time with a unique jump hour mechanism which also takes most some time to get used to.
Then what if you tell us… “Hey Deployant, both the Cartier and the Frank Muller is seriously out of my budget but I really like the concept of being mind boggled.” Fret not! Enter Azimuth Back in Time which retails for around SGD 2,000 to 3,000. How is that as an interesting option. But on the Azimuth, there is no minute hand, but only one hour hand which goes counter clockwise.
Concluding Thoughts
At the end of it all, would the Cartier Santos Dumont “Rewind” be something that we would like to own? For us, the answer is a resounding yes. The Rewind has lots going for it. The platinum case is quite beautiful with the juxtaposition of finishes on adjacent surfaces. The sleek curves over a square base is aesthetically very pleasing, and with the excellent proportions chosen by Cartier, the watch looks amazing. And to top all that, the magnificent dial is certain a highlight, with the cabochon being the final icing on the cake.
It is certainly a very handsome watch, and wears very nicely on many wrists. Shown above is the Rewind on Peter’s 7.5 inch wrist, but it fits my smaller 6.5″ wrist just as nicely too. The thin case and curved lugs are no doubt the key contributors. And, as an added bonus, this is a watch which is a good conversation starter. Imagine a show-and-tell with a stranger or acquaintance.
