page transition image
Skip to content

Cart

Your cart is empty

Cartier Santos Carrée 2961 – Two-Tone Burgundy Spider Dial

Details

Spidered burgundy, unmistakable

At first glance it’s a classic two-tone Santos Carrée. Then the dial pulls you in. The deep burgundy tone paired with heavy spidering gives this piece a completely different presence than standard white or champagne examples. It’s a bold piece that completely changes the conversation of what a Santos is about. 

Why this dial matters

Burgundy Santos dials are uncommon to begin with. Add pronounced spider cracking and it moves into a niche category collectors actively look for. The lacquer has fractured over time into a web-like pattern that’s unique to this watch. The fading around the date window and Swiss stamp only reinforces that this is original, not refinished. The screws, the brushed surfaces, the gold bezel, frame the dial without competing.

Condition and mechanics

The watch is in good vintage condition. The case and bracelet are in good overall shape and wear well on the wrist. The dial is heavily spidered as noted, which is the entire point here. The bracelet is in good overall condition, and the case is consistent with age. Mechanically it’s confirmed to be running strong after passing by our test bench.

Hard to miss. Harder to replace.

This isn’t a safe Santos. It’s not subtle. It’s a dial-forward piece that collectors immediately recognize as special. For someone who understands spider lacquer and wants a Santos that stands apart from the standard production run, this one checks that box without apology.

Key Specs

Reference: 2961

Model: Santos Carrée

Year: 1980s

Movement: Automatic

Case Size: 29 × 41mm

Bezel: 18K yellow gold

Bracelet: Steel & 18K yellow gold

Dial: Burgundy Spider Dial

Wrist Size: Fits 7.25–7.35 inches

SKU: 401

History

In 1904, Brazilian aviation pioneer Alberto Santos-Dumont complained to his friend Louis Cartier that checking a pocket watch while piloting an aircraft was both impractical and dangerous. Cartier's response was to put a clock on Santos-Dumont's wrist — a square-cased watch with a leather strap and visible screws on the bezel, worn on the pilot's wrist where he could read it with both hands on the controls.

The result was the Santos, one of the first purpose-designed men's wristwatches in history. The exposed screws — which Cartier turned into an aesthetic signature rather than hiding — the square case with rounded corners, and the integrated bracelet are elements so well-conceived that they have remained essentially unchanged for 120 years.

References 1564 (Santos Galbee/Santos de Cartier), 2319, 2961 (Santos Carree), and the Santos Octagon all appear in our inventory across stainless, two-tone, and 18-karat yellow gold. Quartz and automatic movements both saw production. These are not derivative pieces — they are the original article, the watch that defined what a wristwatch could be.