BY ASHOK SOMAN

Famed for its design acumen, the mighty house of Cartier was a pioneer in the wristwatch segment with the Santos watch. The watch proved so popular that it remains in production to this day, with a staggering multiplicity of variants. Created in 1904 by Louis Cartier himself for his friend, the renowned aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, the watch began to become available for other customers in 1908.

Pictured here are some of the variants available today, including the Asia-only Santos Demoiselle, which is a quartz offering aimed at women. All the other watches feature various mechanical movements, including one chronograph.