Cartier's experiment that no one saw coming.

Cartier continues to experiment with shapes in their first pilot watch, introducing their new Santos de Cartier Dual Time in Geneva. Its distant ancestor was a model that Louis Cartier presented to the pioneering aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont.

A new branch on the family tree with this pilot watch at the root appeared in Cartier's line in 2018. Santos de Cartier was a new breed of luxury sports watch by Cartier, which still reminds you of the model's origins and the first Santos — the hit Cartier Santos Carrée born in 1978.

In the years following the relaunch, the more classic two- and three-hand models in the collection's ranks were joined by the likes of skeletons for fans of "naked" watch mechanics. But the creators of the collection gave complications a wide berth for as long as they could.

Now that gap has been filled by the Santos de Cartier Dual Time model, which is perfect for flights with connections in different time zones. It's interesting that the launch of the Santos de Cartier Dual Time appears to be a touchstone — only one reference number has been introduced.

This version comes in a steel case that measures 40.2 mm in diameter, 10.1 mm in height, and stretches to 47.5 mm in length. Like other members of this collection, the model has a curved silhouette and a seven-sided winding crown set with a sapphire cabochon.

The case is complemented by the bracelet traditionally used in the collection with instantly recognizable screws. To tone down the sportiness and add a little extra luxury, the watch can also be worn on a gray alligator-skin strap. It's really easy to change the model's vibe thanks to the Cartier QuickSwitch system.

The cool steel is matched with a dark gray dial that has a light gray 12-hour subdial for the second time zone at 6 o'clock. A miniature window is there at the top of the subdial to help jet-lagged travelers who no longer know if it's night or day anymore.

This isn't the only indication that breaks the chain of Roman numerals, there's also a date aperture at 3 o'clock in a darker shade of gray. The watchmakers at Cartier remain tight-lipped about who supplied the movement for now. All we know is that the solid caseback conceals an automatic caliber with a 40-hour power reserve that runs at a frequency of 4 Hz.