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Vintage Cartier Santos Galbee Quartz White Roman Numeral Dial Steel Case Watch

Details
Here's a vintage Cartier Santos Galbee quartz with a white dial from the late 80s, early 90s. Keeps great time and is fully functional. Measurements include a 29x41mm square case size and 18mm lug width. Integrated bracelet with screws that fit up to a 7.5 inch wrist. Blue cabochon crown. White dial with matching blue hands and roman numerals. Quickset date function at 6 a clock. There is a little bit of staining near the 3 a clock on the dial, as seen in photos. Stainless steel case and caseback. Makes for a great watch for both men and women. Thin profile. All the parts are original including the crown, dial, movement, and caseback. Both the dial and case are in great cosmetic, untouched condition.

Ig: vintagewatchfam
Ready to wear!
Key Specs
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.