Cartier Santos Octagon "Burgundy"

A red cabochon sits in the crown of this vintage Cartier Santos Octagon, picking up the deep burgundy lacquer of the dial, the same pairing Cartier used on the burgundy Santos Carree. Reference 2965 is the stainless steel Santos Octagon, an automatic with date built through the 1980s. It follows the 1978 relaunch of the Santos de Cartier, the watch that brought the house into the integrated-bracelet category, and takes the idea further with an octagonal case and a godron bracelet held by exposed screws. Burgundy lacquer counts among the scarcer dials on this reference.

This example is in steel, 30 mm across the octagon excluding the crown, and it is the men's size, wearing larger than that figure suggests thanks to the extended lugs and the integrated godron bracelet. The dial is original and kept spare, deep burgundy under lacquer, with Swiss only printing, matching hands and the date at three beneath a sapphire crystal. The case back carries the matching letter G that denotes the godron execution.

Condition is very good. The original Swiss only dial is free of cracks, with no trace of the fine crazing collectors know on Cartier burgundy dials as the spider effect, and the lacquer still reads deep and even. The brushed links show light hairlines and handling marks from time on a wrist, and there are a few minor marks on the case back, where the G remains clearly legible. The original box is included.

The watch is fitted on its steel godron bracelet, closing on a brushed Cartier folding clasp.