Cartier Santos Octagon PM

The Cartier Santos Octagon sits in a particularly compelling chapter of the maison's catalogue, bridging the 1978 reissue of the original Santos and the larger Galbée variants that came to define the 1990s. Produced through the 1980s and into the early 1990s, the reference 187903 is recognisable by its octagonal bezel punctuated with eight exposed screws, here rendered in the two-tone steel and 18k gold combination that became one of Cartier's signature pairings of the decade. It remains a quietly distinctive design within the broader Santos family, more architectural than the rounded Galbée yet less austere than the original.

This particular example is the 25mm version, faithful to the proportions Louis Cartier originally conceived for Alberto Santos-Dumont. The ivory cream dial carries painted Roman numerals, blued sword hands, a flat date window at three, and the blue spinel cabochon set into the crown that has been a Cartier signature for over a century. Power comes from the slim quartz caliber 687, which keeps the case profile elegantly low. The watch is presented on its integrated two-tone bracelet with Cartier deployant clasp, and the original Cartier box is included.

The case has been polished in the past but retains its essential geometry, with the octagonal bezel and screw heads still well defined. The dial has developed a heavy, uneven patina, warming toward the centre into a deeper cream-to-amber tone that gives this piece real character and lifts it above a standard production example. A fresh battery has been fitted and the watch is running as it should.