Insider: Cartier Santos 100 Flying Tourbillon. Elegance in a Massive White Gold Case.

The other day we joined our friend and watchlifestyler Olivier for lunch. As usual, he surprised us with one of his daily beaters. This time, a Cartier Santos 100 Flying Tourbillon ref. W2020017. Yes, a true daily beater as you can appreciate on the macro pictures around the bezel.

In most people's minds, a tourbillon is a delicate watch that reflects elegance and should only be worn under the cuff of a bespoke shirt. However, the Cartier Santos 100 Flying Tourbillon is a massive top heavy tank that can be worn with anything —dressed up or down. This time our friend Olivier was wearing jeans and his favorite Bengal striped button down shirt.

The Cartier Santos 100 Flying Tourbillon Limited Edition watch comes with an extra large case measuring 46.5mm x 54.9mm x 16.5mm in 18K white gold and it's fitted with a rather small round sapphire crystal on the display case back. This watch is a serious complication in every sense of the word.

After perusing and wearing this watch throughout a three-hour lunch break, we can only conclude that this timepiece is a serious work of art from the dial to the flying tourbillon and everything in between.

The dial is openworked and composed of two layers. The first layer has roman numerals that have been cutout and the second layer is a slate grey galvanic guilloché plate. The tourbillon comes with a Cartier 'C' cage that rotates 60 turns every minute indicating the seconds. Rather than being supported by a bridge, or cock, at both the top and bottom, a flying tourbillon is cantilevered, being only supported from one side.

The watch comes with a black alligator strap and a 18K gold double-deployant buckle. After wearing the watch for a few hours we can tell that while it's very heavy due to the precious metal that it's made of, it is very comfortable.

The beating heart inside this beauty is the manual winding calibre 9452 MC with flying tourbillon. Each movement is individually marked with the Geneva seal and individually numbered on the main bridge plate.

Sticker price $126,000. For more info click here.

Enjoy the video at the bottom to see it in action.

Insider: Cartier Santos 100 Skeleton. A Palladium Work of Art.

Cartier has always been known as the ultimate jeweler, however, we feel it's time to properly recognize their 'Haute Horlogerie' reputation. Louis Cartier created the Santos watch in 1904, sealing his friendship with the aviator Alberto Santos Dumont. The famous aviator's wish was granted: he could check the time while flying. The Cartier Santos 100 Skeleton in Palladium is one amazing timepiece and truly a work of art that has kept all of the iconic elements of the early Santos models.

This beautiful watch made in the rare lustrous silvery white metal discovered in 1803—Hublot, Ulysse Nardin and Girard-Perregaux are well known for the use of palladium within their collections— is fitted with the in-house Cartier caliber 9611 MC manual-winding movement that is individually numbered. This watch available in very limited quantities, took years to hunt down. After falling in love with this watch while reading a magazine, an authorized dealer was able to source one and it is now a daily beater that belongs to the superb collection of a very close friend and watchlifestyler.

The extra large case on reference W2020018 measures 55mm x 46.5mm x 16.5mm making it massive and top heavy. The alligator strap is matte finished and very comfortable with its triple adjustment clasp. The skeleton dial/movement combo is just mesmerizing and carefully finished. Interacting with one of this watches in person is a very unique experience and to be quite honest, the pictures don't do fair justice to this timepiece.

The beautifully finished movement and the dial are one single piece where the roman numerals have been carved out from the bridges on the movement. All classic unmistakable Santos details are present. The iconic blue anodized hands, the eight screws on the bezel, the double folding deployant clasp with two screws in white gold and the heptagonal crown with its legendary faceted blue sapphire complete the equation.

In order for you to fully experience the beauty of this watch we included some macro shots that we are confident you will enjoy. Telling time on this watch is a joy but be careful no to fall under its spell as you might find yourself staring at it for hours. Sticker Price on this rarity: $58,000.