Santos-Dumont Skeleton Watch with micro-rotor Ref. WHSA0031

The Santos-Dumont Skeleton Micro-Rotor solves a problem that has limited skeleton watches for decades. Openworked movements are almost always hand-wound, because a conventional winding rotor would sit across the movement and hide the very architecture you paid to see. Cartier's answer is the calibre 9629 MC, which places a micro-rotor within the movement itself, so the watch winds automatically while the openwork stays fully visible.

The case is 18K yellow gold, finished with blue lacquer, and the bridges inside are lacquered blue to match, so the mechanism reads as a deliberate composition rather than exposed machinery. Polished blued-steel sword-shaped hands sweep over it, visible through sapphire front and back. The movement is 4.4mm thick, runs at 25,200 vibrations an hour and holds around 46 hours of power reserve.

The Santos-Dumont carries Cartier's oldest watchmaking story, named for the Brazilian aviator who asked Louis Cartier in 1904 for a watch he could read while flying. At 31mm and 8mm thick it is a dress watch rather than a sports one. It is a limited edition of 150 individually numbered pieces, supplied with two alligator straps, one varnished and one matte blue, on an 18K yellow gold pin buckle, and water resistant to 30 metres. At Konesseur, every Cartier is authenticated and inspected in Dubai before listing, and the UAE's 5% VAT is a meaningful advantage at this level. See more Cartier watches or the full watches range to compare.

• Reference and model: Cartier Santos-Dumont Skeleton Micro-Rotor, large model, Ref. WHSA0031, 18K yellow gold with blue lacquer, 31 x 8mm, limited edition of 150
• Movement: automatic calibre 9629 MC with integrated micro-rotor, blue-lacquered skeletonised bridges, 23.2 x 4.4mm, 25,200 vph, ~46h power reserve, sapphire crystal and caseback
• Straps and build: two alligator straps (varnished blue and matte blue), 18K yellow gold pin buckle, 30m water resistance
• Condition and authenticity: authenticated by Konesseur (confirm edition number, both straps, condition, box and papers against the listing)