Video: Unboxing the Cartier Santos Large ADLC Grey Dial WSSA0037

The Cartier Santos usually splits the difference between a dress watch and a daily-wear sport watch. The large model in reference WSSA0037 pushes that balance hard toward sport: a steel case, a black ADLC-coated bezel, a grey dial, and two straps built for different moods. We unboxed our own WSSA0037, put it on the caliper and the scale, and ran it through Cartier's QuickSwitch system to see how much that black bezel actually changes the way a Santos wears. The numbers below come from the watch in our hands.

Cartier Santos Large ADLC Grey Dial (Ref# WSSA0037) - $10,000

First Look and What's in the Box

The WSSA0037 arrives in Cartier's signature red saffiano box. Once it is out and set against the box lid, the on-screen spec card confirms the basics: Santos de Cartier, large model, reference WSSA0037, and a steel case. It is unmistakably a Santos from across the room, and unmistakably a different mood once the black bezel comes into view.

Watch the full unboxing

The Cartier Santos WSSA0037 red saffiano presentation box before opening

The Santos WSSA0037 on its box with the on-screen reference card showing size, material, power reserve, and water resistance

Case and Bezel: A Sportier Santos

Cartier lists the large Santos case at 39.8 mm wide and 9.38 mm thick, and that thinness carries the whole design. The rounded-square case still has the exposed screws, crown guards, and seven-sided crown set with a black synthetic spinel that make a Santos recognizable at a glance. What changes here is the bezel: instead of the usual polished steel, Cartier coats it in black ADLC and lets it sit against the exposed steel case. The familiar Santos silhouette reads sharper and more pronounced, and a shape that normally leans elegant starts to feel athletic.

Case side profile showing how flat the ADLC bezel and steel case sit despite the bolder two-tone look

The steel deployant buckle on the black rubber strap, shown open

The Grey Dial and Roman Numeral Layout

We like what Cartier did with the dial here. The classic Santos Roman numeral railway track is all present, but a subtle two-tone treatment separates the raised center section from the surrounding chapter ring. It is not a loud effect. It shows up more the longer you spend with the watch, and it keeps the dial from reading as one flat, monochrome surface. The steel sword-shaped hands are filled with luminous material, another detail that pushes this Santos further into sport-watch territory, and the date sits at 6 o'clock, framed by the Roman numerals around it.

Dial macro showing the Roman numeral railway track and the two-tone separation between the center section and chapter ring

Movement and Everyday Specs

Inside is Cartier's automatic caliber 1847 MC, running at 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz) with a 42-hour power reserve and 100 meters of water resistance. The caliber keeps its focus on hours, minutes, seconds, and the date, which suits a watch built to go on every day. The steel caseback is engraved with the Cartier signature along with the automatic, Swiss Made, and water-resistance markings, and it doubles as the anchor point for both quick-release straps.

Steel caseback engraved with the Cartier signature and case specifications, with the QuickSwitch strap release visible

Our Measurements: Size, Thickness, and Weight

Cartier's own numbers are 39.8 mm wide and 9.38 mm thick. On our own digital caliper, this WSSA0037 measured 47.8 mm lug-to-lug and about 9.1 mm thick, in line with Cartier's listed figure. On the in-house scale, the complete watch on the black rubber strap came in at 90.6 g. That combination of a bold, dark case with a genuinely thin, light build is what lets the watch sit flat on the wrist instead of feeling top-heavy.

Digital caliper reading 47.8 mm across the case lug-to-lug

Digital caliper reading 9.1 mm at the case's lug attachment point, in line with Cartier's listed 9.38mm thickness

The complete watch on the black rubber strap weighing 90.6 grams on the in-house scale

QuickSwitch: Two Straps, Two Personalities

This WSSA0037 comes with both a steel bracelet and a black rubber strap, and both use Cartier's QuickSwitch system, which lets you swap between them without any tools. On rubber, the black bezel flows straight into the black strap and the whole watch reads darker and sportier. Put the steel bracelet back on and the watch shifts toward the more versatile, everyday Santos that works with jeans or a jacket. The bracelet has its own quick-adjust system, called SmartLink, which removes individual links by hand.

The Santos WSSA0037 on its rubber strap next to the steel SmartLink bracelet, both fitted with Cartier's QuickSwitch system

Close-up of the QuickSwitch release mechanism used to remove the rubber strap without tools

On the Wrist

On a 7-inch wrist, the large Santos wears with real presence without feeling heavy, which tracks with the 90.6 g reading on the scale. The thin case is doing a lot of work here: even with the darker bezel and squared case pushing the look toward sport, the watch sits flat and stays comfortable through a full day on the rubber strap. We think the Santos makes the most sense for anyone who likes Cartier but wants something that reads harder-edged than the standard steel Santos, without giving up any of the brand's design language.

The Cartier Santos WSSA0037 on the wrist on its black rubber strap

This Cartier Santos WSSA0037 at Watches Off 5th

The exact WSSA0037 we unboxed and measured above is available now in like-new condition with the original box and papers, priced at $10,000.

If you're interested in this Santos or any other piece in our inventory, reach out to us at watchesoff5th.com or through our social channels. We're happy to help.