Cartier Santos alternatives
The 1904 pilot's watch Cartier made for Alberto Santos-Dumont: a square case with a screwed bezel, wide polished flanks and, in the modern Santos de Cartier, a steel bracelet. Alternatives here are square and rectangular watches on bracelets.
These 8 watches come from other brands, sit within 3 mm of a Cartier Santos reference in case size, and cost less than its $4,800 starting price. They're grouped by price, closest in size first, with one watch per brand in each group.
The Cartier Santos
| Reference | Case | Lug-to-lug | Water | List price | eBay median ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santos de Cartier Large WSSA0018 | 39.8 mm | 47.5 mm | 100 m | $9,200 | $8,800 |
| Santos de Cartier Large WSSA0030 | 39.8 mm | 47.5 mm | 100 m | — | $8,749 |
| Santos de Cartier Medium WSSA0029 | 35.1 mm | 41.9 mm | 100 m | $8,400 | $8,540 |
| Santos de Cartier Small WSSA0082 | 27 mm | 34.5 mm | 30 m | $6,850 | $6,849 |
| Santos-Dumont Large WSSA0085 | 31.4 mm | 43.5 mm | 30 m | $5,250 | $5,150 |
| Santos-Dumont Small WSSA0086 | 27.5 mm | 38 mm | 30 m | $4,800 | $5,060 |
Under $500
| Watch | Case | Lug-to-lug | Thick | Water | Movement | List price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seiko Recraft Series Automatic (rectangular case)vs the Santos WSSA0018 | 39.5 mm (−0.3) | — | 11.8 mm | 50 m | Automatic | $300 |
| Casio MTP-B190Dvs the Santos WSSA0085 | 31.5 mm (+0.1) | 41 mm (−2.5) | 8.1 mm | 50 m | Quartz | $110 |
| Bulova Frank Sinatra The Very Thought Of Youvs the Santos WSSA0085 | 30 mm (−1.4) | 45 mm (+1.5) | 8.2 mm | 30 m | Quartz | $495 |
| Skagen Hagen Three-Hand Black Stainless Steel Meshvs the Santos WSSA0086 | 29 mm (+1.5) | 36 mm (−2) | — | 50 m | Quartz | $180 |
$500 to $1,500
| Watch | Case | Lug-to-lug | Thick | Water | Movement | List price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Söner Nostalgia CaesarMicrobrandvs the Santos WSSA0086 | 28 mm (+0.5) | 40 mm (+2) | 7 mm | 50 m | Quartz | $765 |
| Frederique Constant Classics Carrée Small Secondsvs the Santos WSSA0082 | 25.2 mm (−1.8) | 36 mm (+1.5) | 5.8 mm | 30 m | Quartz | $1,395 |
$1,500 to $5,000
| Watch | Case | Lug-to-lug | Thick | Water | Movement | List price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bell & Ross BR 05 36mm Black Steelvs the Santos WSSA0029 | 36 mm (+0.9) | 42.8 mm (+0.9) | 8.5 mm | 100 m | Automatic | $4,700 |
| Rado True Square Automaticvs the Santos WSSA0018 | 38 mm (−1.8) | — | 9.7 mm | 50 m | Automatic | $2,450 |
List prices are manufacturer prices in US dollars where published. Differences in brackets are against the closest Cartier Santos reference by size. Check lug-to-lug against your wrist with the fit finder.
Questions
- What is the best affordable alternative to the Cartier Santos?
- By size, the closest under $1,500 in our catalog is the Seiko Recraft Series Automatic (rectangular case) SNKP23 at $300: 39.5 mm across against 39.8 mm for the WSSA0018.
- Is there a Cartier Santos alternative under $500?
- Yes. The Seiko Recraft Series Automatic (rectangular case) SNKP23 lists at $300 and is 39.5 mm across, water-resistant to 50 m. 4 of the watches on this page cost under $500.
- How much does the Cartier Santos cost?
- In our catalog, Cartier Santos references start at $4,800 list price. On eBay, the WSSA0018 has a median asking price of $8,800 across 93 live listings.