A collectors’ club based in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai Watch Club recently announced the latest special edition for its members. Based on the largest version of the Cartier wristwatch launched last year, the Santos-Dumont Extra-Large “Dubai Watch Club” is a distinctive new take on the classic design.

Featuring a salmon dial inspired by the Santos-Dumont 90th Anniversary limited edition of 1994, the Dubai Watch Club version features Eastern Arabic hour numerals as is tradition for special editions made for the region.

Initial thoughts

A large but elegant watch, the Santos-Dumont XL is appealing in its original form, albeit looking very much like a classical Cartier. The Dubai Watch Club edition injects novelty into the design without doing too much. In fact, the only changes to the watch are the dial colour and hands, although Breguet hands were historically found on many Cartier models.

But the best feature of the dial is the colour of the numerals, which are rendered in a dark red that was meant to mimic Cartier’s house colour. Notably, red numerals were traditionally found only on platinum watches, while the Dubai Watch Club edition is steel.

The case material means the special edition is an easily affordable US$7,500, but that’s a moot point as the watch is available only to members of Dubai Watch Club.

Dubai style

Founded by local collector Adel Al Rahmani, Dubai Watch Club has some 120 members in its ranks. The club has commissioned a handful of special editions in the past, including from Jaeger-LeCoultre, Roger Dubuis, and H. Moser & Cie.

Its first collaboration with Cartier, the new Santos-Dumont is based on the Extra-Large model, which is the largest on offer. It has a steel case that’s 46.6 mm by 33.9 mm, but a slim 7.5 mm high.

The case is identical to that of the standard version, except for the back that has been engraved with the club logo as well as a serial number.

And the watch is powered by the 430 MC, which is actually a Piaget cal. 430P, an ultra-thin movement just over 2 mm high. Because of the movement’s compact dimensions – it’s a bit over 20 mm in diameter – Cartier has long used this calibre in its slim, form watches, including various versions of the Tank.

All photos courtesy of unekual.

Cartier Santos-Dumont Extra-Large “Dubai Watch Club”

Diameter: 46.6 mm by 33.9 mm
Height: 7.5 mm
Material: Stainless steel
Water resistance: 30 m
Crystal: Sapphire

Movement: 430 MC
Functions: Hours and minutes
Winding: Hand-wound
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Power reserve: 38 hours

Strap: Alligator with pin buckle

Limited edition: 50 pieces
Availability: Only to members of Dubai Watch Club
Price: AED27,500 (equivalent to US$7,500)

For more, visit Cartier.com and Dubai Watch Club on Instagram.