Founded in Paris in 1847, Cartier stands at the very origin of the wristwatch as we know it. Louis Cartier designed the original Santos in 1904 for his friend Alberto Santos-Dumont, the Brazilian aviation pioneer — making it one of the first purpose-built wristwatches in history. The Santos Galbée, whose name means ‘curved’ in French, is the most refined expression of that original design: a Santos with softened edges and a gently curved case and bracelet that moulds itself naturally to the wrist, combining the collection’s distinctive DNA with a more understated everyday character.

Reference 1566 is the medium model Santos Galbée in stainless steel and 18k yellow gold, measuring 29 x 41 mm with a thickness of just 6.7 mm. The silvered guilloché dial carries black painted Roman numerals, a railway-track minute scale and sword-shaped hands in blued steel — details that are unmistakably Cartier — with a discreet date window at six o’clock. The octagonal crown is set with a faceted synthetic sapphire cabochon. The fixed 18k yellow gold bezel is secured by the Santos’ hallmark exposed screws. The scratch-resistant sapphire crystal sits above a solid caseback. Water resistance is rated to 30 metres. The watch is comes on a brown leather strap with a Cartier deployant clasp.

This Cartier Santos Galbée is in very good condition.