Finding The Watch Of My Dreams

The name Cartier is synonymous with luxury and that is something I would never associate with myself. I am not particularly the jet-setting type, though I do enjoy the occasional vacation. It was on one of these vacations that I found the watch of my dreams, which just so happened to be a Cartier. I did not set out with the intention of purchasing a watch but I could not resist it. The appearance of this timepiece is much different than that of other luxury brands.

French jeweler and watchmaker Cartier was established over 160 years ago, during the Napoleonic era. Louis-Francois Cartier operated a silver tea service, which branched into creation of jewelry in 1847 when he was only 29 years old. Based on the influence of his son, Alfred, Cartier began creating pocket watches. In 1904, the pilot Alberto Santos-Dumont encouraged Cartier to move from a pocket-style watch to a wristwatch that would be more reliable in flight.

The rest, as they say, is history and I knew little about this history before I stepped into a jewelry store while on shore at a cruise stop in the Cayman Islands. We were on Grand Cayman, to be exact and decided to pay a visit to the Bayshore Mall on South Church Street in Georgetown. My goal was to find some additional clothing for the trip as some of my luggage had been lost during the flight.

As I strolled through the mall with my wife, we passed a jewelry store with some very attractive pieces in the window. One of them was the Cartier Santos, a watch unlike many other luxury wristwatches. We stepped into the store and were soon introduced to Franc, a knowledgeable jeweler. He gave us some brief highlights of the Cartier history and details regarding the quality features of the timepieces.

I inquired about the watch I noticed in the display window and Franc smiled. He too loved this watch- so much, in fact, that he purchased one for himself. The Cartier Santos came in both medium and large models featuring a steel case. A titanium case, pink or yellow gold accents, and manual versions with white gold and diamonds were also available. Like Franc, I was partial to the automatic medium size featuring steel.

Franc informed me that this model was made in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Santos watch line. With a sapphire crystal, opaline dial, luminescent black steel hands, and Roman numerals, it reminded me of days gone by. The black strap was made from alligator skin and the watch was water resistant to 300 feet, something I hoped I would never need to find out but glad to know it existed.

After trying on the watch, I was sold. It looked and felt great and while it was elegant, it was not too flashy for everyday wear. I quickly made a purchase and headed out of the store wearing my new watch. Somehow, clothing no longer seemed important because I could not wait to return to the ship and show off this timepiece.

By: Raylon T. Worthington

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

If you are looking for an upscale watch that will set itself apart from all others, the Cartier Santos Watch is for you! Simply put, there is no mistaking a Cartier Santos Watch when you see it on someone's wrist. It will turn heads, it is classy and elegant, and it will get you noticed! For more information, visit LuxuryMensWatchOnline.com today.