The most versatile watch of all time?

This is an entry of a day in the life of the Cartier Santos Medium Ref. WSSA0029. As square watch with industrial screws and seemingly out-of-place roman numerals, it truly shouldn’t work on paper. And yet, it does. How? I couldn’t say. Maybe it’s its historical significance as the world’s first wristwatch for men? Or Cartier flexing its jeweler muscles in implementing a supremely comfortable yet chic bracelet? Maybe it’s both, plus the fact that it is a square watch with industrial screws and roman numerals. Cacophonous? Likely. Iconic? Unequivocally.

Breakfast Companion of Champions

The day begins with a 7:30am breakfast meetup with a mentor friend of mine. By happenstance a brilliant sunrise crossed paths with me on the drive down to Panera. Since I arrived a few minutes early, I went out and snapped a photo of the somewhat monochromatic Santos contrasted with the sunrise hues. And as is customary for me on these daily driver reports, I also took a photo of the Santos with the breakfast articles of the morning. These two photos subtly showcase the versatility of the Santos: equally at home clothed in dramatic colors and yet also at the mundane breakfast plate.

After breakfast I proceed directly to the office. Any timepiece that accompanies me to the office is obligated to have its photo taken alongside the everyday-carry essentials. It blends right in!

High Noon

As an aside, I’ve found that in long meetings the Santos plays the role of fidget toy quite well, at least better than most other watches. The removable bracelet and its tight tolerances afford a nice, tactile experience. Anyway, after a few hours of work and meetings, I decide to head over to the nearby burger shack for a quick lunch. The Santos is perhaps the only watch in existence I can confidently say is both fully dress watch and sports watch (without actually trying to be both!), and it therefore feels just at home at casual eateries.

On the way back to the office, I remember to take the ever-so-important wrist-on-steering-wheel shot at a red light. I have to say that the Santos Medium is a perfect fit on my 6.75″/17cm wrist. Before purchasing, I did cross-shop it with the Santos Large, and I personally wouldn’t recommend the larger version to anyone with a wrist smaller than 7″. And even then only if you like your watches on the larger side. I also have to mention that the Santos’s side and 3/4 profile is quite the looker. I might actually enjoy admiring it from a side angle even more than the view of it straight on! It just melts on the wrist!

Before heading back into the office building though, I swing by the Capital One Café not just for a cup of joe, but also for another Santos photo op of course.

It ended up being quite a busy work day, which meant not many opportunities to look at and admire my Santos like an obsessed watch person would/should. The clock eventually hits 5-something, and I head home.

Bon Soir, Monsieur Cartier

After a few bachelor-pad household chores, it comes time to fix up dinner. Remembering the fast food lunch I had, I figure it wouldn’t be a bad idea to concoct up something healthier. With the metal bracelet and a healthy 100M of water resistance, I wouldn’t hesitate to float the Santos around running water or kitchen apparatuses. Well, I’d hesitate to have sharp knives near that buttery scratch-magnet of a bezel that is the Santos’s. I’ve worn it not infrequently over the last year or so from the time of writing, but haven’t experienced too much bezel bludgeoning. Maybe I’m not putting it enough through its paces? Or perhaps I am an exceptionally gentle person. The jury is still out on that one.

The “healthier meal” ends up being a red-sauce pasta with Ziti because I forgot that I had no more spaghetti left in the pantry. According to the time difference between the two photos above, it apparently takes me 35 minutes to prepare this specific meal. I am not a clean eater. I tend to always hurl a few specks of pasta sauce in unpredictable directions, and this is one reason I keep the Santos on the steel bracelet instead of the calfskin strap that it also ships with. I hear most Santos owners do the same since the bracelet is truly so innovative with its push-button link removal system and quick-change bracelet/strap setup, but mostly just because the bracelet is simply unmatched in its versatility.

Not long after dinner, nighttime sets in. I attempt to do some light reading on my comfortable wingback chair and try not to look at my Santos too much. From sunrise hues to evening lamp glow, the Santos de Cartier never feels out of place at any point in between.

Conclusion

We watch people tend to be very opinionated about lume (among other things) on our timepieces. I shall break it to you hard and fast: the Santos has no lume. There will be no night photo of it here. And frankly, I prefer it this way. I am a firm believer that some watches, on a case by case basis, simply shouldn’t have lume, and I am pleased with its omission here. We watch people are also opinionated about power reserve. Well, I hate to break your heart again if you are a power reserve apologist, but the Santos only has a listed 42 hours of it. Remember folks, among power reserve, thinness of a watch, and affordability, you get to have two. And I’d rather keep the Santos’s 8.8mm thickness than have more power reserve. I reckon most would too.

Thus ends another day with the Santos. I admit I wasn’t sure about it when I pulled the trigger on this piece, but it has only grown on me since then. And yet, it hasn’t fully. I can’t even explain why. I don’t even mind the square form factor anymore. I believe the best way to put it for now is that I find it difficult to view it as an inspiring piece, just a safe one. Perhaps I’ll write a check-in post a year from now to report any changes. For now, its versatility makes it just about impossible to part ways with it.

What are your thoughts on the Santos? Love it? Hate it? Hate that you love it? Let me know in the comments below! And if you’re in the market for one, it would help me out a great deal by using my affiliate link with renown dealer Watches of Switzerland here. I get a cut of the commission, but it doesn’t cost you a penny more!