Nicknamed by many collectors as the modern incarnation of the original 1904 pilot’s wristwatch designed for Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, this reference brings the model into solid 18K rose gold without sacrificing the leather-strap elegance of the original. Worn by everyone from Tom Cruise on the Top Gun: Maverick tour to Cartier ambassador Jake Gyllenhaal, the Santos has cemented its place as the dress-sport hybrid that broke the mold. Few watches let you wear over a hundred years of horological history on a swappable strap in under five seconds.

Presents itself in mint condition with little to no signs of wear. The silvered opaline dial glows like soft morning light, framed by bold black Roman numerals that look pulled straight out of an Art Deco poster. Hidden in the VII numeral is Cartier’s secret “Cartier” signature, a 100-year tradition originally designed to fight counterfeits. The 18K rose gold case dances between high-polish on the bezel and lugs and a softer satin glow on the case sides, with eight signature screws marching across the bezel like rivets on the wing of a vintage biplane. The seven-sided rose gold crown, capped with a faceted blue sapphire, gives the watch its James Bond gadget moment every time the wearer reaches to wind it.

Functions include hours, minutes, central seconds, and date. The seven-sided faceted-sapphire crown on the right side of the case quicksets both the date and time. Pull it out one click to advance the date wheel clockwise, pull it out a second click to set the hours and minutes with hacking seconds. The crown returns to its flush position and winds the in-house caliber 1847 MC automatic, good for roughly 42 hours of power reserve. The QuickSwitch lever on the underside of each leather strap allows tool-free strap swaps in seconds, while the 18K rose gold folding deployant buckle moves cleanly between both included straps with the press of two side pushers.

Comes as a full set, double-boxed with warranty card, operating manual, care booklet, pusher tool, and a complimentary blue calfskin leather strap.

A solid gold version of the watch that started it all; the first pilot’s wristwatch, the watch that arguably invented the modern men’s wristwatch market feels less like buying a timepiece and more like buying a piece of the story. Perfect for the collector who already owns the steel sports watches and wants to graduate into precious metal without abandoning daily wearability, this reference slides under a cuff at the boardroom and lights up at the dinner table later that night. For anyone who wants the Cartier corner of their collection covered with the brand’s most historically loaded model in its most luxurious everyday form, this is the one.