We sure do love our special Cartier's. Insert a Cartier Santos Octagon with sapphires and diamonds and a dial made out of Agate.

As mentioned, the dial is cut from Agate, a stone with a beautiful clean and blue texture. Agate is a variety of Chalcedony and is a crystal of courage. The dial lacks any unnecessary adornment, save for a simple “Cartier” signature and a small “Paris” indication, both in yellow-gold, giving the stone plenty of space to shine.

The dial is complemented by 18k yellow-gold sword-shaped hands. The matching 18k yellow-gold octagonal bezel is factory-set with diamonds alternated by blue sapphires. The beautiful sapphire detailing is continued on the bracelet, which features stunning princess-cut sapphires on each side. So the Agate matches the bezel and the bracelet! It makes this distinctive watch wearing like a beautiful piece of jewellery.

A cool detail is the interlocking “C” Cartier-logo on the clasp of the bracelet. The classic Cartier Santos was initially designed in 1904 by Louis Cartier for his friend, the Brazilian aviation pioneer, Alberto Santos-Dumont. The pocket watches that preceded it and many wrist watches that followed it were round with fluid details. The Santos, in contrast, had a strong and utilitarian aesthetic, with a square case and visible screws on the bezel. These design elements would be reintroduced almost 70 years later by Gerald Genta in the Royal Oak. In the 1990s, Cartier reimagined the Santos by replacing its square case with an octagonal one and a matching octagonal bezel, possibly as a nod to the Royal Oak.

The largest and most collectible iteration, 30mm excluding the crown, is ref 2965. The example we can offer you was possibly commissioned by a very special client from Cartier somewhere in the '90s. The bezel and case have maintained all sharp edges and shapes and the bracelet is tight and has no stretch. The most important factor is that the dial is absolutely flawless. She comes accompanied by the original box and Cartier service papers.