While fashion trends move at a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it pace, it doesn’t mean the watch world is bereft of shifting tastes – even if they move at a comparatively glacial pace. One horological trend that’s gathered steam in recent years is the move towards smaller, more refined timepieces, and the newest hero of this movement is the charming Cartier Santos de Cartier Petit Modèle collection.
It’s a collection that shows Cartier as a watchmaker with its finger on the pulse. Recently, the likes of Timothée Chalamet, Jacob Elordi, Paul Mescal, and Tyler the Creator have all been spotted wearing an array of smaller Cartier watches, while members of the watch-collecting cognoscenti, such as Mark Cho and Mike Nouveau, have long championed smaller men’s watches.
But while it might appear to be a trend-chasing move by Cartier, it’s incredibly fitting that this collection can trace its origins to the first-ever men’s wristwatch, the Cartier Santos-Dumont. Created in 1904 at the request of Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont (who needed both hands on the controls of his aircraft), early versions of the Cartier Santos-Dumont that followed measured just 24.8mm wide and 34.8mm long – diminutive proportions by today’s generally accepted standards.
Of course, the historical DNA of these early Santos-Dumont watches is clear across Cartier’s current Santos generation, but it’s perhaps even more obvious in the Cartier Santos de Cartier Petit Modèle collection, with sizing that most accurately reflects its original inspiration. This freshly launched collection measures 27mm in width and 34.5mm in length, promising a presence on the wrist that, like all timelessly designed objects, doesn’t need to shout for attention.
This shift towards smaller timepieces is a refreshing one, not just because it includes all wrists great and small, but because of the quiet confidence that’s implied with it. The trend of the early 2000s that saw watches wearing the men who own them, rather than the other way around, had an attention-seeking undertone that now appears to be disappearing in the rearview mirror.
Beyond the new sizing, much of the rest of the design will be familiar to enthusiasts as it features the same iconic exposed screws in the polished bezel, as well as the same square-ish case shape, blue sapphire cabochon in the crown, and sunburst brushed silvered dial resplendent with Roman numerals. It’s available in either stainless steel ($10,400), two-tone (with a yellow gold bezel and bracelet screws)($17,100), or solid yellow gold ($52,500).
As you might imagine for such small watches, a high-autonomy quartz movement has been chosen to power the collection (high-autonomy meaning long-lasting battery life), the presence of which is invisible at a glance thanks to the lack of a ticking seconds hand to give away the game.
Another compelling detail of the Cartier Santos de Cartier Petit Modèle collection is found in the available bracelets and straps. The stainless steel and two-tone versions arrive with both a bracelet and a smooth calfskin strap, while the solid yellow gold reference features both a yellow gold bracelet and a more elevated alligator leather strap.
All considered, it’s a collection that manages to do two things simultaneously – preserving the pioneering legacy of Santos-Dumont while offering a thoroughly in-vogue presence on the wrist. Either as a daily companion or as a timepiece worn while celebrating that next special occasion, the Cartier Santos de Cartier Petit Modèle collection is proof that great things come in small packages.
This article is produced in partnership with Cartier. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Boss Hunting.
