Short answer: Three Cartier Santos sizes suit most women: the Santos de Cartier small (27 x 34.5 mm, quartz), the Santos de Cartier medium (35.1 x 41.9 mm, automatic, water resistant to 100 m) and the Santos-Dumont small (27.5 x 38 mm, quartz). Choose a small model for a wrist under about 15 cm (6 in), and the medium for an automatic movement and a bracelet you can swap for a strap. Cartier's US site listed them in steel at $6,850, $8,400 and $4,800 on October 12, 2026. Bizak & Co. sources all three to order from $4,399: start with the small steel Santos de Cartier WSSA0082, from $6,499, or browse the Cartier Santos collection.
Last reviewed on October 12, 2026 by Filip Biczak. Bizak prices are that day's asking prices, not quotes; every watch is sourced to order.
Cartier Santos sizes for women at a glance
Specifications and list prices are Cartier's (US site, October 12, 2026). Tap a Bizak price to reserve that watch with a $200 deposit, credited in full; we then send photos of the specific watch we locate and today's price before you pay the balance.
| Model (steel reference) | Case and movement | Cartier US list | Bizak ask from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santos de Cartier small (WSSA0082) | 27 x 34.5 mm, 7.08 mm thick; quartz; 30 m | $6,850 | $6,499 |
| Santos de Cartier medium (WSSA0029) | 35.1 x 41.9 mm, 8.83 mm thick; automatic calibre 1847 MC; 100 m | $8,400 | $7,812 |
| Santos-Dumont small (WSSA0086) | 27.5 x 38 mm, 7.3 mm thick; quartz, about six years per battery; 30 m | $4,800 | $4,399 |
| Santos de Cartier large (WSSA0018), for comparison | 39.8 x 47.5 mm, 9.38 mm thick; automatic calibre 1847 MC; 100 m | $9,200 | $7,903 (pre-owned) |
Which Santos size fits your wrist?
On a square watch the lug-to-lug length matters more than the width: it decides whether the case sits flat on your wrist or overhangs it. Measure the flat part across the top of your wrist; it should be at least as long as the watch. As a rule of thumb:
- Under about 15 cm (6 in): the small Santos de Cartier (34.5 mm long) or the Santos-Dumont small (38 mm long, but only 7.3 mm thick and on a leather strap).
- About 15 to 17.5 cm (6 to 6.9 in): the medium (41.9 mm long), the smallest Santos de Cartier with an automatic movement.
- Over about 17.5 cm, or for a bolder look: the large (47.5 mm long).
Quartz or automatic: what each size gives you
The small Santos de Cartier runs on quartz and is water resistant to 30 m. Cartier supplies it with a bracelet and a leather strap, both interchangeable. The medium adds the automatic calibre 1847 MC, 100 m water resistance, QuickSwitch for changing between bracelet and strap, and SmartLink for adjusting the bracelet's length. Cartier introduced the current medium, reference WSSA0029, in 2018, according to Phillips.
The Santos-Dumont small has what Cartier calls a high-autonomy quartz movement, about six years per battery, is water resistant to 30 m and comes on a leather strap. If you swim in your watch or want a mechanical movement, choose the medium.
Santos de Cartier or Santos-Dumont?
Both descend from the watch Louis Cartier designed in 1904 for the Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont and launched commercially in 1911, according to Sotheby's guide to the Santos. The Santos de Cartier is the sport-elegant version: exposed screws on the bezel and bracelet, a seven-sided crown set with a faceted synthetic blue spinel, and interchangeable straps. The Santos-Dumont is the dress version, with screws on the bezel only, a beaded crown set with a synthetic blue spinel cabochon, and a leather strap. In steel it is the least expensive women's Santos.
Women's Santos prices by metal
Gold and steel adds about 40 to 70 percent to the steel list price, and solid gold multiplies it: the small Santos de Cartier in 18k yellow gold lists at nearly five times the steel model. Cartier list prices are shown where we confirmed them on cartier.com.
| Size and metal (reference) | Cartier US list | Bizak ask from |
|---|---|---|
| Small, steel (WSSA0082) | $6,850 | $6,499 |
| Small, yellow gold and steel (W2SA0033) | $11,500 | $10,399 |
| Small, 18k yellow gold (WGSA0107) | $33,900 | $31,527 |
| Medium, steel: silver, blue or green dial (WSSA0029, WSSA0063, WSSA0061) | $8,400 | $7,812 silver; blue $7,812; green $7,812 |
| Medium, yellow gold and steel (W2SA0016) | $12,900 | $11,997 |
| Medium, 18k rose gold on a strap (WGSA0012, WGSA0028) | Not shown | $16,299; WGSA0028 $17,999 |
| Medium, 18k gold on a bracelet (WGSA0010 yellow, WGSA0031 rose) | Not shown | $28,999; rose $32,299 |
| Santos-Dumont small, steel (WSSA0086) | $4,800 | $4,399 |
| Santos-Dumont small, rose gold and steel (W2SA0038, W2SA0012) | $6,850 (W2SA0038) | $4,999 (W2SA0012); W2SA0038 $6,370 |
| Santos-Dumont small, 18k rose gold (WGSA0117) | Not shown | $12,276 |
Browse the Santos de Cartier, steel, rose gold and yellow gold Santos collections for every dial and strap we source.
Diamond Santos for women
Cartier sets diamonds on the bezel of several medium Santos de Cartier references. The steel W4SA0005 has 206 brilliant-cut diamonds, 0.64 carat in total, on the bezel only, and lists at $15,800; Bizak sources it from $12,442. Other diamond-bezel mediums: the blue-dial steel W4SA0006 from $13,199, gold and steel W3SA0007 from $17,949, rose gold WJSA0007 from $28,699 (see our WJSA0007 guide), yellow gold WJSA0013 from $33,599 and white gold WJSA0014 from $51,499.
Smaller still, the rose gold Santos-Dumont small with a diamond bezel, WJSA0019, is from $19,199; our WH100351 review covers an earlier one. Factory-set models carry their own references, such as W4SA0005 rather than the unset WSSA0029, so the warranty card tells you whether Cartier set the stones; a set watch with an unset reference should be priced as the unset model. See every diamond Santos we source.
Earlier women's Santos: Galbée and Demoiselle
Cartier's current Santos collection has two lines, the Santos de Cartier and the Santos-Dumont. Earlier women's models, such as the Santos Galbée and the Santos Demoiselle, are sourced on the secondary market, and sizes vary by reference, so ask for the exact case measurements. Bizak sources the steel quartz Santos Galbée W20056D6 from $4,998 (pre-owned) and the white gold and diamond Santos Demoiselle WF902007 from $17,899; our vintage Cartier Tank and Santos guide covers what to check.
Quick answers
What size Cartier Santos is best for a woman?
For a wrist under about 15 cm (6 in), the Santos de Cartier small (27 x 34.5 mm) or the Santos-Dumont small (27.5 x 38 mm). For an automatic movement, 100 m water resistance or a bolder look, the medium Santos de Cartier (35.1 x 41.9 mm).
Is the medium Cartier Santos too big for a woman?
Not for most wrists from about 15 cm (6 in). It is 35.1 mm wide, 41.9 mm from lug to lug and 8.83 mm thick. If the flat top of your wrist is narrower than about 42 mm, the lugs will overhang and a small model will sit better.
Is the women's Cartier Santos automatic or quartz?
The small Santos de Cartier and the Santos-Dumont small are quartz. The medium Santos de Cartier is automatic, with Cartier's calibre 1847 MC, as is the large.
How much is a women's Cartier Santos?
On October 12, 2026 Cartier's US site listed the steel Santos-Dumont small at $4,800, the small Santos de Cartier at $6,850, the medium at $8,400 and the medium with a diamond bezel at $15,800. Bizak sources them to order from $4,399, $6,499, $7,812 and $12,442.
What is the difference between the Santos de Cartier and the Santos-Dumont?
The Santos de Cartier is the sport-elegant model, with screws on the bezel and bracelet and interchangeable straps; its medium and large are automatic. The Santos-Dumont is the dress model on a leather strap; the small runs on quartz, about six years per battery.
Does the Cartier Santos come with diamonds?
Yes. The steel medium W4SA0005 has 206 brilliant-cut diamonds (0.64 carat) on its bezel, and gold versions such as WJSA0013, as well as the rose gold Santos-Dumont small WJSA0019, have diamond bezels. Factory-set models have their own references, so check the warranty card.
Can you change the Santos bracelet to a strap?
Yes. Cartier supplies the steel and gold-and-steel small and medium Santos de Cartier with both a bracelet and a leather strap, and they interchange (QuickSwitch on the medium), so ask whether both come with the watch. The Santos-Dumont small comes on a leather strap.
Request a Cartier Santos sourcing quote
Tell us the model, size, metal, condition and timing through our sourcing enquiry form. We confirm the specific watch, photographs, papers and final price before you commit.
Related reading: Cartier Tank and Santos reference guide · Cartier watches in the US: what to buy · Ladies' luxury watches from Rolex, Patek Philippe, AP and Richard Mille.
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