While superstar Taylor Swift is still reeling in the after-effects of her recently announced engagement to NFL star Travis Kelce, the world has gone on a watch hunt. The Wildest Dreams singer was seen sporting a Cartier Santos Demoiselle during her engagement announcement. The ring, an old mine brilliant-cut diamond estimated between $250,000 and $500,000, is well beyond most fans’ reach. But the watch, a discontinued Santos Demoiselle introduced in 2008, can still be scored, if you’re lucky. Spotted on Swift, the $19,000 timepiece carries a legacy that stretches back to 1904, when Louis Cartier created the original Santos for his friend Alberto Santos-Dumont, a pioneering Brazilian aviator who needed a reliable wristwatch for flying.
The Demoiselle followed a century later, designed specifically for women and named after Santos-Dumont’s most famous light aircraft. Swift’s version features brilliant-cut diamonds set in an 18-karat yellow gold case, paired with a striking gold bracelet. Powered by a quartz movement, the square-shaped watch boasts a silvered dial and Cartier’s signature blued-steel hands. Though production of the Demoiselle ceased years ago, its scarcity has only increased its desirability. A model identical to Swift’s recently fetched close to $19,000 at auction, and resale prices are climbing as collectors rush to secure one. In watch circles, GQ notes the model will henceforth be known as “the Taylor Swift”, a rare feat for a timepiece already steeped in history.
Swift’s ability to propel products into instant sellouts is nothing new. The Polo Ralph Lauren striped silk-blend dress she wore to announce her engagement completely sold out, with the brand’s website briefly crashing under demand. Similarly, a Popflex skort she was spotted in during a video vanished from shelves in just 15 minutes, with more than 10,000 pre-orders placed. Just as Alberto Santos-Dumont once made Cartier’s square-dial watch fashionable for a new century, Taylor Swift has swiftly revived the Demoiselle for a generation of Swifties.
