The Shapes of Cartier
Cartier, Paris
Santos Droit | A very rare and early yellow gold wristwatch with later gold deployant clasp | Circa 1911
Auction Closed
May 10, 02:36 PM GMT
Estimate
30,000 - 50,000 CHF
Lot Details
Description
Dial: silvered dial signed Cartier Paris BTE S.G.D.G. (Breveté sans garantie du Gouvernment), stretched radial black Roman numerals, inner chemin de-fer minute track, blued steel Breguet hands
Calibre: 10½’’’ circular LeCoultre calibre movement signed Cartier Paris, damascened Côtes de Genève decoration, lever escapement, 18 jewels, bi-metallic compensation balance with timing and poising screws, Breguet hairspring, 8 adjustments
Movement number: beneath dial 11'356
Case: 18k yellow gold case, satin finished upper body, polished chamfered bezel secured by contrasting white metal screws mounted from the underside, lugs with spring bars, case secured by 4 screws to case sides, later sapphire cabochon-set beaded crown, inside case back with Edmond Jaeger punch mark and hand stamped numbers 5161, outside case back with faint French eagle’s head assay mark and rubbed hand stamped numbers 5161, 11356
Case numbers: Paris Reference No. 5161, 11'356
Closure: later unsigned 18k gold deployant buckle
Size: 24.5 x 34.5 mm (width x length including lugs)
Box: yes
Papers: no
Accessories: Cartier presentation box
Please note the leather strap derived from endangered species is for display purposes only and is not sold with the watch. The watch will be shipped with a Sotheby’s branded calf leather strap.
François Chaille, Franco Cologni, The Cartier Collection: Timepieces, Paris: Flammarion, 2006. See p. 113 for a Santos Droit wristwatch dating to 1914 that was made by Cartier Paris for Cartier New York.
The design of the Cartier Santos has evolved subtly over time, giving rise to several distinct early variations. Among them, the Santos Droit stands as one of the earliest and rarest, of which the present watch—dating to 1911—is an exceptional example. Unlike the more familiar Santos-Dumont, it features elongated, flowing lugs and a square, chamfered bezel secured from beneath, highlighting a more architectural and experimental design language.
The dial features the signature “Cartier Paris Bte S.G.D.G.” (Breveté Sans Garantie du Gouvernement), a marking used in France to denote a patented invention without state guarantee. Frequently found on early 20th-century Cartier timepieces, this inscription reflects the innovative and exploratory nature of these watches during a formative period in wristwatch design. While not necessarily indicating a prototype in the strictest sense, it strongly suggests an early production piece, created at a time when designs were still being refined and patents actively registered.
The origins of the Santos date to 1904, when Louis Cartier created one of the first wristwatches for aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont. By 1911, the model had entered commercial production, making the present example a remarkable witness to the very beginnings of serially produced wristwatches—an object that remains as forward-looking today as it was over a century ago.