Flying over a tiny engraved globe, a miniature Demoiselle aircraft winds this watch as you move. Barrel at one o’clock, balance wheel at eleven, 212 components arranged symmetrically and revealed at Watches and Wonders 2023. Made for the collector who owns the icons and wants one with no dial to hide behind.

Presents itself in mint condition with little to no signs of wear. Set into the grooves of every bridge, the lacquer traces the open architecture in deep wine red. Finished in blued steel, the sword hands are the only other color, reading almost black until light turns them cobalt. Carved from 18K rose gold, the case pairs satin brushing on top with a mirror polished chamfer, shifting between matte and gloss. Draped underneath, the burgundy alligator echoes that wine tone, fastened by a rose gold ardillon buckle.

Functions include hours and minutes. Set with a blue sapphire cabochon, the beaded crown on the right does everything. Left in the rest position, it hand winds the movement, and one click out lets you set the time. Around 44 hours of reserve come from the automatic calibre 9629 MC, beating at 28,800 vibrations per hour. At 30 meters of water resistance, everyday splashes are fine but swimming is not.

Comes as a complete set, double-boxed with warranty card, Cartier Care booklet, and additional brown alligator leather strap.

Born in 1904 when Louis Cartier built one of the first wristwatches for a friend who needed both hands on the controls, the Santos-Dumont has been reinterpreted ever since. Very few of those reinterpretations stayed this slim, and fewer still show this much restraint. If your collection tells the time but not many stories, there is a spot waiting on your wrist.