Cartier Santos-Dumont WH100351 Review: Rose Gold, Diamond Bezel

The Cartier Santos-Dumont WH100351 is the small-size Santos-Dumont in 18-karat rose gold, with a diamond-set bezel, a silver dial with black Roman numerals and a leather strap. The Santos design dates to 1904, when Louis Cartier built a square wristwatch for his friend, the Brazilian aviation pioneer Alberto Santos-Dumont, who needed to read the time without taking a hand off the controls; Cartier began selling the model commercially in 1911, making it one of the earliest purpose-built men's wristwatches rather than a converted pocket watch. This guide covers the WH100351's specifications, how the diamond-bezel small Santos-Dumont compares with the plain-bezel version in the same size and metal, how it wears, price context and what to check before buying. Bizak & Co. sources the WH100351 to order; the Cartier Santos collection lists the configurations we can seek.

Last reviewed on September 28, 2026 by Filip Biczak. Prices are dated observations, not quotes.

Cartier Santos-Dumont WH100351 specifications

Source: Bizak's sourced listing for the WH100351 reference; general Santos and Swiss watch industry history from the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry.

Why is the Santos-Dumont considered one of the first men's wristwatches?

Before the Santos, watches worn on the wrist were largely a women's fashion, and men who wanted the time on the move carried a pocket watch. Alberto Santos-Dumont, then attempting some of the first controlled powered flights in Europe, told his friend Louis Cartier that fumbling for a pocket watch mid-flight was impractical. Cartier's response, a flat square case strapped to the wrist with exposed screws holding the bezel in place, became the Santos, commercialised from 1911. The Santos-Dumont line that Cartier sells today keeps that original square silhouette and screw detailing, distinct from the larger, more sport-oriented Santos de Cartier the brand also produces with an integrated bracelet.

Diamond bezel or plain bezel: which small Santos-Dumont?

The two watches share a case size, a case metal and a movement, so the difference in price comes almost entirely from the diamond bezel and, to a lesser degree, the dial finish. Buyers who want the recognisable exposed-screw Santos look at a lower cost gravitate to the plain-bezel W2009251; buyers who want the watch to read closer to fine jewellery choose the diamond-set WH100351.

How does the Santos-Dumont wear?

At the small size, the Santos-Dumont sits close to the wrist with a genuinely flat profile, a quality Cartier has preserved since the original 1904 design. The square case reads differently from a round watch of a similar footprint, running across the wrist rather than around it, and the leather strap keeps the whole piece light for daily wear. Quartz suits this size well: it keeps the case slim, since there is no automatic rotor or barrel to accommodate, and it means the watch needs no winding routine before it is worn. The diamond bezel adds a small amount of visual weight without changing the case's flat, understated proportions.

Who is the WH100351 for?

This reference suits a buyer who wants a recognised Cartier design in a wearable small size, finished closer to jewellery than to a conventional dress watch. It is a strong fit for someone who dresses formally more often than casually and who values the Santos-Dumont's flat, quiet profile over the sportier, bracelet-equipped Santos de Cartier. Quartz suits anyone who wants to wear the watch occasionally rather than in daily rotation, since there is no risk of the movement stopping and needing to be reset after weeks unworn. It is not the choice for a buyer who wants a purely mechanical watch or who plans to wear a single piece every day; the plain-bezel version or a larger Santos de Cartier may suit that use case better.

How much is a Cartier Santos-Dumont WH100351? Price context in 2026

• Retail. Cartier sells the Santos-Dumont through its boutique network and authorised retailers rather than a single fixed international price list; pricing varies by market, case metal, bezel and dial. Buyers who want an authorised-dealer quote should check with a Cartier boutique directly.
• Bizak catalogue ask. On 28 September 2026, Bizak's sourced catalogue listed the WH100351, brand new, at US$31,199, sourced to order.
• What moves the price. A diamond-set bezel, as on the WH100351, adds meaningfully over a plain gold bezel in the same case size and metal, as the comparison with the W2009251 above shows; case metal and dial finish also shift the price within the Santos-Dumont line.

Those figures describe what we saw and will move. Ask for a dated quote for the exact size, metal and bezel; our guide to pricing watches outside the mainstream sports-watch market covers how to compare quotes on precious-metal and jewel-set references.

Is the Santos-Dumont a good investment?

Buy a Santos-Dumont because the design and the aviation history are what you want on your wrist, not because it is guaranteed to appreciate. The Santos has a genuine collector following as one of watchmaking's foundational wristwatch designs, and vintage examples appear regularly at major auction houses such as Phillips, which includes early Cartier Santos pieces in its watch sales alongside sports references from other manufacturers. A brand-new, diamond-set WH100351 is a current-production jewel watch rather than a rare vintage find, so its resale will track the broader market for modern precious-metal Cartier pieces more than it tracks headline results for pre-war Santos examples. Diamond-set pieces also carry an added consideration at resale: buyers and dealers alike will want stone certification and a condition check on the setting, which is one more reason to keep the original documentation with the watch. If resale matters to you, ask for a written cash-buy assessment before you commit.

Buying a Cartier Santos-Dumont: what to check

• Confirm the reference number. The case back and any accompanying papers should both show WH100351; a different reference is a different watch even if the dial photographs similarly.
• Verify the case metal and stones. Rose gold and the diamond bezel should be documented on the manufacturer papers. Ask for confirmation of stone count and quality rather than relying on appearance alone.
• Check the full set. A brand-new Cartier should come with its box, papers and any accessories Cartier ships with the reference. Ask for a complete list before you commit.
• Inspect the dial, bezel and strap. Even a new watch can pick up handling marks in transit. Look at the dial surface, the diamond setting and the leather strap under strong light before the sale is final.
• Price against the range. A brand-new WH100351 offered well under what boutiques and authorised retailers are asking for comparable diamond-set Santos-Dumont pieces is the clearest warning sign.

Our authentication process describes what we inspect before dispatch.

How is a quartz Cartier serviced?

A quartz movement removes the day-to-day winding routine, but it still needs periodic attention. The battery in a quartz Cartier typically needs replacing every few years, and Cartier's authorised service network handles that work along with checking the case seals that keep the watch water resistant and cleaning around the diamond setting. Buyers moving from an automatic watch sometimes assume quartz means no maintenance at all; in practice it means less frequent, simpler maintenance rather than none. Servicing through an authorised Cartier channel, rather than a general watchmaker or jeweller, keeps the watch's documentation, stone certification and resale value intact.

Quick answers

How much is a Cartier Santos-Dumont WH100351?

Cartier does not publish a single current retail price across all markets for the Santos-Dumont. Bizak's sourced catalogue listed the WH100351, brand new, at US$31,199 on 28 September 2026, sourced to order.

What movement does the WH100351 use?

A quartz movement, which keeps the small, flat Santos-Dumont case slim and needs no winding.

Why does the Santos-Dumont have exposed screws on the bezel?

The screws reference the riveted aircraft frames of Alberto Santos-Dumont's era. Louis Cartier built the original 1904 Santos for the aviator, and the exposed-screw detailing has stayed part of the design since.

Is the WH100351 the same as the Santos de Cartier?

No. The Santos-Dumont is the smaller, flatter, strap-only line that traces directly to the 1904 original; the Santos de Cartier is a larger, sportier model with an integrated bracelet that Cartier sells alongside it.

Is the Cartier Santos-Dumont a good watch to buy?

It is a brand-new 18-karat rose gold watch with a diamond-set bezel and one of watchmaking's most historically significant case shapes. Whether it suits you depends on your taste for a square case and jewel-watch styling; we recommend trying one on before deciding.

Request a Cartier Santos-Dumont WH100351 sourcing quote

Tell us the case metal, bezel preference and whether full documentation is required, plus your budget and timing, through our sourcing enquiry form. We confirm the specific watch, photographs, documentation and final price before you commit. Catalogue entries: Santos-Dumont small, rose gold, diamond bezel, Santos-Dumont small, rose gold, plain bezel; browse the Cartier Santos collection, the rose gold watches collection, or sell or trade your Cartier.

Related reading: The watch nicknames explained glossary · Richard Mille price guide · Our authenticity guarantee · Sell or trade your watch.