The "Cartier Santos Carrée" that arrived today is a stainless steel model, which is much rarer than the combination models.
It's a rare item that is almost never seen these days.
As Cartier's first watch to use stainless steel material,
the automatic Santos series was introduced around 1979.
It carries on the lineage of the Santos-Dumont, considered the world's first wristwatch,
with a square case and screw-motif design,
which remains a popular model, preserving its design aesthetic to this day.
This particular piece is a masterpiece, leading the vintage models known as Santos Carée.
In addition to its extreme rarity, it's a truly exceptional watch,
combining stainless steel with Cartier's characteristic white dial and steel blue hands,
giving it a clean and elegant feel.
But that's not all this time.
This particular piece is a later-production model from a later year.
The case number engraved on the back starts with "9172960" instead of "2960",
indicating it was produced towards the end of this series.
Although the details of the case are slightly different from the 2960, the size remains the same.
While there are minor scratches due to age, it is an unpolished case.
Furthermore, the bracelet is a double-fold clasp type,
a welcome feature offering excellent practicality and robustness.
This alone allows you to use it with peace of mind even after purchase.
Many Cartier watches from that era, including the Santos, often have cracked dials,
and most have some kind of damage.
This particular piece has slight cracking and subtle discoloration around the outer edge,
but in person, the damage is not that noticeable.
Of course, the dial is also an original part, not replaced from the original era.
It combines well with the aging of the case, creating a good atmosphere,
and you can feel its vintage charm.
The LM size is very popular, especially among men,
but it's about the same size as current women's models,
so I highly recommend this Santos to women as well.
The sharp and edgy case design, combined with the masculine watch design,
conveys conflicting impressions of ruggedness, yet delicacy and elegance.
I believe women would readily embrace this kind of watch design.
It's a valuable watch, and also practical for everyday use,
so while it's nice to display it, I'd prefer for it to be worn daily.
It's a watch imbued with all kinds of charm, transcending gender and generations,
and I sincerely hope many people will acquire it.
