Blast From The Past
Introduced in 1904, the Cartier Santos is one of the oldest men’s timepieces produced serially and recently revamped. The watch has been revitalized, equipped with modern touches like the quick-release strap, a beautiful large ergonomic case, brand in-house movement and now the latest expansion. This new chronograph is the Santos Skeleton ADLC “Noctambule”, French for ‘night owl’, and painted with luminous paint for the luminescent skeletonized movement that glows in the dark. A first for the brand, the Super-Luminova placed on the watch movement is a striking enhancement.
Beautiful Classic Black
This standout piece has combined the brand signature skeletonized movement, the luminous base plate, and a beautiful but sporty all black case. The case itself is a stainless steel that has been treated with ADLC, amorphous diamond-like carbon, a hard coating that is derived from the diamond, and increases the scratch-resistance of the case. The coating provides a very dark grey surface, not pure black, but a tone that is magnificent with the silvery-grey coloring of the movement. This case is truly the same as on other Santos models, but vertically brushed so the top surface of the bezel and case allows just the bevels of the edge to be polished. The look of the timepiece is very restrained, providing a presence that is both discreet and prestigious. The Cartier signature of the skeletonization is adorned with the base plate and bridges featuring open work to form Roman numerals, the brand element that draws attention and then coupled with the sword shaped hands, just spectacular.
Glowing Glory
The inside of the Cartier Santos Skeleton ADLC “Noctambule” With Luminescent Skeletonized is the caliber 9612MC. Used inside a number of brand skelton timepieces, it packs a 72 hour power reserve, featuring two barrels and one other super power, the painted base plate and bridges that glow in the dark. The Super-Luminova has a dark grey look in the light, but once charged, with both artifical and natural light, will glow for hours. The “Noctambule” lume has a soft green glow in the dark due to the luminous paint which is pigmented to the grey color. This piece is really stunning in the dark.
Right Size and Feel
Cartier made the ‘Noctambule’ the largest in the collection, with a case measuring 39.9mm wide and 47.5mm lug-to-lug. It might seem large but in fact it is a fairly slim design, sitting only 9.8mm high and curved to perfection for the fit on the wrist. The dark finish for the case and bracelet also give it a slimming effect, so it actually looks smaller than most of the collection in the conventional steel cases. It does have some weight on it, but maybe they will design a titanium version later on, making it lighter and certainly as open and airy as the design. Cartier did a truly fantastic job on this watch, it is a great value, a compelling timepiece, and visually eye catching. Looking for a conversation piece, then put this Santos Skeleton on your wrist, you will have glowing reviews!
