There Are Pandas, and Then There Are Pandas.
And this isn't either of them! The Pandas we're talking about here, are watches, not bears. And what got me thinking about them (again) was a link posted this morning by @cm.rook who pointed a few of us to the very attractive (and not terribly priced) Yema "Rallygraph" Panda which, in it's most traditional arrangement, looks like the one on the left, but can also be had in the version on the right: The model on the left is a true Panda, while the model on the right is called a reverse Panda. The reason for that distinction is clear--Panda bears, only come in the first arrangement. Now at this point, everyone should be thinking about the most well-know Panda, The Rolex Panda, which is actually a Daytona, and among Rolex Daytonas, the most famous of which is the Paul Newman Daytona, which was famous first, because it was Paul's, and second because it sold at auction for $17.8 million (US Dollars). The story of that auction is well-known so I'll only...
Nov 8, 2019
The Cartier Santos was developed for a Brazillian-Franco pilot, Alberto Santos- Dumont, who had complained that it was difficult to juggle a pocket watch and test fly at the same time. This was at the birth of powered flight, when distances covered were still measured in mere yards! And et voila! The first pilot watch was born at the hands of Cartier, a great innovator and designer.
So what makes it iconic? For starters, the watch is still remarkably similar in appearance after 114 years. The version at the exhibit is a 1916 model. Secondly, it still looks great. This, inspite of the fact that the watch was designed for industrial functionality, rarher than fashionability. Cartier worked over the years to make the watch more affordable, but it still has its own immediately identifiable style. That's iconic!
Cartier Santos watch -1916
Platinum, gold, sapphire cabochon, round LeCoultre caliber 126 movement, fausses Cotes de Geneva decoration, rhodium plated, 8 adjustments, 18 jewel, Swiss lever escarpment, bi-metallic balance Brequet balance spring. Beautiful!
Cartier Santos watch - 2018
Medium model, mechanical movement with automatic winding, 1847 MC. Case in steel, seven-sided crown set with a faceted synthetic spinel, silvered opaline dial, blued-steel sword-shaped hands, sapphire crystal. Still Beautiful!