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SJX
[Purist]
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A detailed comparison of the steel Santos watches

In response to ng717’s post below, here is a detailed comparison of the three steel Santos models.

From left: Santos Galbee XL, Santos 100 MM and Santos 100 LM  

The Santos 100 was introduced in 2004 to mark the centenary of the original Santos of 1904. For the first year of production the watches were engraved “1904-2004” on the back, making the first year models a bit more special. Since then the Santos 100 has become a bestseller and the steel version is possibly the most popular single Cartier model of today.

Two sizes are available, the Santos 100 LM and MM, the Large Model and Medium Model respectively.

Santos 100 MM on left and 100 LM on right 

Both models are virtually identical, save for the size. The MM is a proportionately smaller version of the LM, though the LM is slimmer than the MM.

The MM measures 44.2 by 35.6 mm and is 10.7 mm thick. It contains the MC 076 calibre which is an ETA 2671. This is a small movement that measures only 17.2 mm (7 ¾ ’’’) but is some 4.8 mm high, hence the relative thickness of the watch. It is a reliable and long established calibre, especially for ladies watches, having been introduced sometime in the early seventies.

Santos 100 MM

On the other hand its larger brother measures 51.1 by 41.3 mm with a thickness of 10.34 mm. Inside sits the MC 046 movement, an ETA 2892; the 2892 is so common that if a Swiss watch has 21 jewels it is almost certainly the 2892. Unlike its sibling the 2892 in the LM is a big but slim calibre, measuring 25.6 mm (11 ½ ’’’) wide but only 3.6 mm high. For a full rotor automatic with date and centre seconds the 2892 is thin. This is why the LM is slimmer than the MM, despite being bigger.

Note the relative thickness 

Both the LM and MM are available in steel, as pictured, as well as steel with gold bezel, as well as solid gold and jewelled models. And they are also available with ADLC as the Santos 100 Carbon. There is also a Santos 100 chronograph.

Santos 100 LM in steel/gold with Santos Galbee XL in steel 

At right, Santos 100 Carbon LM in ADLC case and titanium bezel 

And then there is my personal favourite the Santos Galbee XL. It is a tad smaller than the Santos 100 MM, measuring 45.54 by 34.87 mm and a mere 8.67 mm high. The movement is the same ETA 2892 base as the Santos 100 LM.

Galbee with Santos 100 MM

The Santos Galbee has some key differences from the Santos 100 models. Functionally it has a date, while both Santos 100 have none.

Visually it has more elongated proportions than the Santos 100; the lugs on the Galbee are slimmer and longer, relative to the case. This makes it a bit more elegant and less sporty.

And the Galbee has blued steel hands as well as a railway minute track which I like very much. The Santos 100 has black hands filled with Luminova (but no luminous material on the dial) and hash marks for the minute track. I don’t appreciate the luminous hands which is why I picked the Galbee over the Santos 100.

But because the Santos 100 is larger, the case finishing is more obvious, with prominent polished bevels on the case edges, on the top of the case as well as the underside. The case work is top notch.

While the Galbee is available only on bracelet, the Santos 100 is mostly sold on strap. A bracelet is available for the 100 but because it’s so much metal it is heavy and chunky, so it is not that popular.

Many thanks to the wonderfully efficient Ms P at Cartier who kindly arranged for me to see this watches as well as many, many others. 

- SJX

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