Cartier created the Santos watch for aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont in 1904.
Santos-Dumont reportedly needed to read the time while flying, when using a pocket watch was impractical. Cartier’s solution was a wrist-worn watch, helping establish the wristwatch as a practical style for men rather than merely a decorative accessory.
The watch was named after Santos-Dumont and later became one of Cartier’s signature designs. Its square case, exposed screws, and Roman numerals distinguish it from the brand’s later Tank, which was introduced in 1917.
The 1904 date refers to Cartier’s creation of the watch for Santos-Dumont, while commercial production and public availability developed later. This distinction is why the Santos is often described as one of the earliest purpose-designed modern wristwatches, rather than simply the first wristwatch ever made.