CARTIER SANTOS 100 CHRONOGRAPH XL

The story behind this Cartier Santos 100

In 1904, Louis Cartier designed a watch for his friend, the Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, which could be read whilst in flight without letting go of the controls, at a time when watches were still carried in one’s pocket. The square case with rounded corners, the curved lugs and the bezel secured by visible screws established the design language of a collection that the House began marketing in 1911 and which ranks among the first men’s wristwatches. In 2004, to mark the centenary of this first model, Cartier unveiled the Santos 100, whose bolder proportions reflected the contemporary taste for large cases. The Santos 100 Chronograph XL, reference W20090X8, adds a three-counter automatic chronograph to this design, whilst retaining the 1904 silhouette and the signature screws.

Case, calibre and strap of this Santos 100 Chronograph XL

The 41 mm wide square steel case features alternating brushed sides and polished chamfers, whilst its integrated lugs extend the case towards the wrist. The polished bezel is secured by eight visible screws, and the case back, also held in place by eight screws, is water-resistant to 100 metres. The faceted crown, set with a faceted blue spinel, is flanked by two chronograph pushers. Beneath the sapphire crystal, the silver-coloured dial features the Maison’s black Roman numerals and a railway-track minute scale, with the discreet Cartier signature nestled within the VII. The sword-shaped hands with luminescent inserts indicate the time, whilst the central seconds hand measures the chronograph seconds. The counters are positioned at 3 o’clock for the 30-minute totaliser, at 6 o’clock for the 12-hour totaliser and at 9 o’clock for the small seconds, with a date window between 4 and 5 o’clock. The self-winding Calibre 8630 features 27 jewels. The watch is fitted with a green alligator strap, secured by a double steel folding clasp bearing the Cartier logo.

Why this Cartier watch

The Santos 100 Chronograph XL is no longer in production, and the current Santos chronograph features a redesigned case and a in-house movement. This generation remains the only one to combine the XL size of the Santos 100, the screw-down bezel and a three-counter chronograph on a dial with Roman numerals. With its integrated lugs, the square case offers a large display area whilst lying flat against the wrist. The green alligator strap gives this version a more distinctive character than the usual black or brown leather straps, and the second blue alligator strap allows you to change the look to suit your outfit.

Contents and condition

The watch is supplied in its original Cartier presentation box, with a second Cartier blue alligator strap featuring white stitching. Having been worn previously, it shows slight signs of external wear, whilst both the case and the green alligator strap remain in excellent overall condition, meaning it can be worn immediately upon receipt without any cosmetic work being required.

Warranty and delivery

The Swiss Collector guarantees the authenticity of this watch, which is covered by a 24-month warranty. We accept returns within 10 days in accordance with our terms and conditions. As Switzerland’s leading second-hand retailer, backed by the largest network of shops, we offer online booking for a fitting and collection in-store, or fully secure international delivery.