Hi guys so this is a semi-review of my three different Cartier watches, as requested by a reader. To be honest, I love the look of watches but I no longer wear a watch at all times, since nowadays I usually use my phone to tell time. But ever since I went to a De Young Museum exhibit about Cartier (like this one), I've viewed Cartier as my watchmaker of choice (talk about great marketing).
I purchased my first Cartier watch on eBay many years ago. I took quite a gamble with it since I didn't know anything about how to tell authenticity. But I found a Cartier Santos Demoiselle Watch with all the papers and boxes from a reputable seller so I took a chance (which to be honest I probably would not do today, just because of the sheer number of fake goods floating out there on eBay). As soon I got the watch, I took it over to Cartier for a full servicing and there were no red flags so I got lucky. This watch measures 20mm x 28mm and is my only watch with both gold and steel, which makes this the watch I use on my fanciest occasions. And actually I didn't realize that Cartier no longer sells this model (at least online, but I haven't stepped into a boutique in ages so please correct me if I'm wrong) until I wrote up this review. So I guess if you want to get this same model then you might need to look for it used (which is what I had to use for the link above).
Since the Santos Demoiselle was just a bit too fancy for my everyday wear, I started lusting for a more everyday kind of watch. So my next purchase was the classic Cartier Tank Francaise (similar here) in stainless steel and in the small size (measures 20mm x 25mm). And as you can see in the very top picture above, the Tank Francaise is pretty much the same size as the Santos Demoiselle. I prefer the smaller sizes because my wrist is kind of small to begin with. I purchased this one through Fashionphile and authentication was verified through WatchFacts so I felt pretty reassured that this was an authentic purchase. I love that this watch is super simple and classically Cartier. I'm not a huge fan of heavy watches and this one has a good heft but I don't find it too heavy at all (but the Santos Demoiselle is definitely lighter but consequently daintier).
And my third and thus far final Cartier watch purchase was the Ronde Solo De Cartier watch (similar here) which I bought directly in a Cartier boutique. After wearing my Tank Francaise consistently for over a year, I kind of wanted a round watch and a non-metal band because some days I just wanted a really light watch. So I went with the Ronde Solo in the smaller size (29mm) and alligator skin strap. And well not to say I regret this purchase, but I slightly do. And this is mainly because the alligator strap closes like a snap bracelet (it's not the normal belt-like closure for most leather watch bands). And I just have the hardest time opening and closing the snap, and I've even snapped a bit of skin in there once and it pinched like a mofo. So unfortunately I don't wear this watch as much as I would like, considering this is the lightest watch out of the three. Also to be honest, if I hadn't purchased this myself from a Cartier boutique I would think this watch could be a fake because it's casing is super light and not hefty at all. Anyway I plan to change the strap on this to the bracelet version and see if I might wear it more often.
Like I've stated in the past, I prefer to purchase most of my luxury goods secondhand because not only do they come at a better price, but luxury items like these are meant to last so they hold up really well. And as you can see, the only watch out of the three with any regrets is the one I purchased directly from the Cartier boutique. But (and there's a big but here), purchasing used can be a risk since there are so many fake Cartier watches out there. So I recommend purchasing through a reputable reseller who will stand behind the authenticity of their pre-owned goods (like Fashionphile or TheRealReal), getting a second opinion on authenticity (like at WatchFacts), and then lastly getting it serviced at a Cartier boutique.
Anyway if you have any specific questions about this watch just leave me a comment and I'll try to answer them!