Comparisons
Santos 100 or the Current Santos? What Changes on the Wrist
The 2018 Santos is wider than the Santos 100 but about 3.5mm shorter, and it was built around a tool-free bracelet. Here is how the two generations differ in fit, fittings and movement, and what to check before buying either.
In this article
Put a large Santos 100 next to a large Santos from the current collection and the newer watch can look like the bigger of the two. It is wider, but it is also shorter. Christie's describes the steel Santos 100 reference 2656 as about 38mm across and 51mm long; Cartier's redesigned large Santos, introduced in 2018, measures 39.8mm by 47.5mm. That is roughly 3.5mm less case running down the wrist, and it explains more about how the two generations wear than any detail on the dial.
For a pre-owned buyer, the choice between them is less about old versus new than about two different ideas of the same watch: a long, strap-first Santos from the 2000s, and a compact, bracelet-first Santos built around a pair of tool-free mechanisms.
Two generations, two decades apart
The Santos dates to 1904, when Louis Cartier made a flat wristwatch for the aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont. The modern version took shape on 20 October 1978, when Cartier launched a Santos in steel with gold screws on the bezel and bracelet, as Revolution's history of the model recounts. That watch became the Santos Galbée, with a more curved case, in 1987.
The Santos 100 arrived in 2004, the centenary of the original. It kept the square, screwed bezel on a long case with pronounced lugs, and it is most commonly found on a leather strap with a folding deployant buckle. Cartier phased out the previous Santos models around 2016, according to Monochrome's review of the 2018 watch. The replacement was presented at SIHH in January 2018 and reached boutiques that April.
The numbers that matter
| Santos 100 (large, steel ref. 2656) | Current Santos, large | Current Santos, medium | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case | About 38 × 51mm | 39.8 × 47.5mm | 35.1 × 41.9mm |
| Movement | Cartier calibre 049, automatic, ETA-based | Cartier 1847 MC, automatic, in-house | Cartier 1847 MC, automatic, in-house |
| Typical fitting | Leather strap, deployant buckle | Integrated bracelet plus leather strap, both quick-release | Integrated bracelet plus leather strap, both quick-release |
Case figures for the Santos 100 come from Christie's catalogue description; some reference databases quote a width of about 41mm, which appears to include the crown. Current-model figures are from Monochrome's and Revolution's coverage of the 2018 launch.
How the shape changes the fit
A square watch is judged by its length as much as its width, because the lugs, not the bezel, decide whether the case overhangs the wrist. The Santos 100's 51mm length is where the watch earns its presence: the lugs sweep a long way past the bezel, and on a narrow wrist they can reach the edges. On a larger wrist that length is exactly the point, and the strap lets the watch sit flat.
The current large model takes the opposite approach. It is broader across the bezel but noticeably shorter, and its bracelet runs straight out of the case, so the watch reads as one continuous piece of metal. A wearer who finds the Santos 100 too long may get on well with the current large, which places its date at 6 o'clock. Those who want something smaller still have the medium, at 35.1 by 41.9mm, which has no date window at all.
QuickSwitch and SmartLink: useful, with one catch
The 2018 redesign introduced two mechanisms that define daily ownership. QuickSwitch releases the bracelet or strap from the case when you press a small button under the band, with no spring bars or tools, as aBlogtoWatch described at launch. SmartLink lets you size the bracelet yourself: each link has a small push-piece on its underside that frees it from its neighbor. At launch, Cartier supplied the watches with both a bracelet and a leather strap.
The catch is compatibility. Because the release mechanism lives in the strap, standard aftermarket straps will not fit, a limitation Monochrome flagged in 2018. The Santos 100 is more conventional: its strap attaches in the traditional way, so replacements are easy to source. If you like to change straps often and cheaply, the older watch is the less fussy partner. If you want a bracelet you can size at the kitchen table and a leather strap you can fit in seconds, the current model is far more convenient.
Movement and servicing
The current Santos uses calibre 1847 MC, Cartier's own automatic movement, running at 4Hz with a power reserve Monochrome lists at 42 hours. The Santos 100 used Cartier calibre 049, an automatic movement that reference databases describe as based on the ETA 2892-A2. In practice, an ETA-based movement is familiar territory for a broad range of watchmakers, while an in-house calibre narrows the field somewhat. Neither is a reason to avoid a watch, but it is worth asking where any previous service was carried out, and when.
What to check before buying either
- The reference, not just the listing title. Cartier uses a four-digit case reference (2656 for the steel Santos 100, for example) alongside a longer catalogue code such as W20073X8 or WSSA0018. Check that the codes agree with the size you think you are buying. Medium and large current models can be mislabeled in resale listings, so confirm the size against Cartier's own description of the reference.
- Every SmartLink. Links that come off without tools also go missing without anyone noticing. Ask how many links are fitted and whether any spares are included, and compare that with your wrist size.
- The second strap. If the watch was originally supplied with both bracelet and leather strap, ask whether the strap is still present and whether its QuickSwitch fitting engages cleanly.
- Screws and bezel edges. On both generations the screw heads and the edges of the square bezel are what heavy polishing softens first. Crisp screw slots and sharp bezel corners suggest a case that has been left largely alone.
- The buckle and strap on a Santos 100. Ask whether the deployant buckle is Cartier's original and how the strap has aged; a worn strap is an easy fix, a replacement buckle is a detail worth knowing.
- Water resistance as tested, not as rated. The current Santos is rated to 100m. On any pre-owned watch, the result of a recent pressure test is the figure that counts; our guide to water resistance on a pre-owned watch explains why.
Which Santos suits whom
Choose a Santos 100 if you have the wrist for a long case, prefer the watch on leather, or like the freedom of a conventional strap fitting. Choose the current large if you want a bracelet watch first, value tool-free sizing, and find the older watch's length overwhelming. Choose the current medium if the large looks too wide on you, or if you would rather do without a date.
A few examples from current inventory illustrate the range: a Santos 100 in yellow gold, ref. 2657, on a black leather strap; a current large Santos WSSA0071 with blue dial; and a current medium Santos WSSA0029 in steel. Pre-owned watches are one of a kind, so the full Cartier Santos collection is the better place to see what is available now. If you are deciding between generations or sizes, our specialists can compare them with you.
The 2018 redesign did not simply update the Santos 100. It shortened the watch, built it around a bracelet and gave owners tools they had never had. Whether that is progress depends on your wrist, and on whether you want a Santos that sits on leather or one that behaves like a bracelet watch.
