With over a century of history, the Cartier Santos is one of the oldest series in the world and was the first wristwatch ever designed. With the Cartier Santos Octagon, the series sought a modern feel and ventured into new territory. The characteristic feature of the Santos Octagon, the screwed octagonal bezel, is reminiscent of the Royal Oak designed by Gérald Genta.

As with so many Cartier series, the design of the Santos Octagon was born from internal tensions. Many of the well-established visual features of the Santos series are swapped out in this model: the dial is circular, and the corners of the bezel are rounded, challenging the customary rectangular dial and case of the original. In 1978, Cartier also re-launched the Santos bracelet as a two-tone version. The yellow gold screws contrast wonderfully with the uniform steel links.

With dimensions of 25 to 30 mm, the Cartier Santos Octagon is quite small and sits elegantly on most wrists. Inside the watch you can find either the precise and low-maintenance quartz calibres or the Cartier Calibre 90 automatic movement, which is based on the ETA 2892-A2 movement.