The First Men’s Wristwatch Was Built for the Sky

In 1904, Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos Dumont had a problem. He loved flying his early aircraft, but checking the time midflight meant digging into his pocket for a watch, which wasn’t exactly safe when both hands were needed to steer. He asked his friend Louis Cartier to create something easier to read while flying, and Cartier delivered a watch that could be worn on the wrist. It wasn’t just a stylish fix, it changed watch history. That design became the Cartier Santos, widely considered the first men’s wristwatch. Before that, wristwatches were seen mostly as women’s accessories, but this moment sparked a shift. What started as a pilot’s tool turned into an everyday essential, proving that some of the most lasting innovations begin with one person solving a personal problem.