Who invented the wristwatch in 1904?

In 1904, Louis Cartier invented a wristwatch. It wasn’t the first wristwatch but it was one of the world’s first modern wristwatches for men. Cartier’s timepiece was the Santos de Cartier. He designed the watch for his friend, popular Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, who wanted to check the time more easily while flying. While most people used pocket watches for timekeeping in 1904, it's important to note that the wristwatch is an older idea.

Historical records show that wristwatches are as old as the 16th century, but most experts credit Abraham-Louis Breguet with having invented the wristwatch. The Swiss clockmaker created a wristwatch in 1812 and is commonly called the “father of modern horology.” Breguet is responsible for creating many clock and watch innovations still used in timepieces today, including the self-winding watch, the tourbillon movement, the perpetual calendar and a shock absorption system. He was also the founder of the luxury watchmaker Breguet.

On 1stDibs, explore a variety of Cartier watches and Breguet watches.