Written by Laura Rensing

Are you a history buff with a thirst for the luxurious?  Why not satisfy your inner librarian with the Cartier Santos Demoiselle Ladies Mini Solid Gold Watch WF9011Z8 which mixes all the elegance of Cartier with an intriguing story entrenched in history?

The Inspiration

Cartier loves to revel in its history, and the Santos Demoiselle is a classical example of Cartier mixing the richness of the past with the modern day.  The watch series gets its name from the famous Portuguese aviation pioneer Alberto Santos-Dumont.  Santos, who spent most of his life working in Paris, launched the first fixed wing aircraft in Paris in the early 20th century.  Santos was not only a pioneer in the world of aviation, but was one of the first men to exchange pocket watches for wrist watches in the 20^th century.  The watch is named after Santos’ airplane: the Demoiselle and celebrates his forward thinking both on and off the airstrip.  Like Santos himself, the Santos Demoiselle is a study in both practicality and fashion.

The Design

The beautiful 18k pink gold link that look like a yellow brick road to fashion and mirror the rectangular, boxy wings of the Demoiselle aircraft, which is mirrored in the square dial face.  The round-cut diamonds set into the bezel add a bit of sparkle and work together with the gold casing to create a gentle glow.  With quartz movement, water resistance of up to 30meters/100 feet, and a scratch resistant sapphire dial window, this watch is sure to keep ticking as long as you do.

 Feature Summary

• 18K pink gold case and bracelet
• Water resistant to 30 meters/100 feet
• Quartz movement
• Round cut diamonds set into the bezel
• Sapphire crystal dial window

 Cons

Readability may be an issue with this watch—it’s not called a “mini” for nothing!  The minuscule roman numerals on the tiny dial won’t make reading this watch any easier.  If you’re looking for a slightly more readable watch, try the Cartier La Dona Gold Ladies Watch WE600551 which features the same diamond-studded case with a slightly larger watch face.

Cartier is always top-of-the-line for fine watch making, but their ability to merge the triumphs of the past into a chic design in the present places them beyond their competitors.  The Cartier Santos Demoiselle Ladies Mini Solid Gold Watch WF9011Z8 is a perfect example of this sort of excellence and will have you soaring to new heights whether you love a watch with a story behind it, or just love the warm glow of this Cartier classic.