Yves Saint Laurent Watch Collection - Cartier Santos-Dumont and Tank Watches
Yves Saint Laurent currently has 2 watches in his collection. Check them in our database.
Introduction to Yves Saint Laurent
Yves Saint Laurent was a French fashion designer who fundamentally shaped modern luxury fashion through his house, Yves Saint Laurent (YSL). Operating from 1962 until his retirement in 2002, Saint Laurent became known for elevating tailoring, introducing the tuxedo jacket for women, and creating collections that balanced sophistication with accessibility. His influence extended beyond clothing into every aspect of design aesthetics, including his personal taste in timepieces.
Saint Laurent's approach to watches reflected his broader design philosophy: understated elegance paired with recognised heritage. The Yves Saint Laurent watch collection centres on Cartier, the French jeweller whose own history of craftsmanship aligned with his sensibilities. In a 1971 portrait shot by photographer Horst P. Horst for Vogue, taken at Saint Laurent's Paris home, he wore the Cartier Santos-Dumont ref. 78097 in 18k yellow gold, positioned notably upside down on his right wrist. The photograph captures him in a grey leisure suit, embodying the refined minimalism that defined both the YSL and Cartier brands during that era.
Beyond the Santos-Dumont, Saint Laurent was also documented wearing the Cartier Must de Cartier Tank in silver-gilt vermeil. This model, characterised by its rectangular case and clean lines, complemented his preference for geometric precision in design. Both timepieces represent Cartier's commitment to functional design rather than unnecessary embellishment, a principle that Saint Laurent championed throughout his career.
Yves Saint Laurent Spotted Wearing Cartier Santos-Dumont Ref. 78097 in 18K Gold
Inserted 02/08/2026
The Cartier Santos-Dumont ref. 78097 in 18k yellow gold remains one of watchmaking's most historically significant dress watches, tracing its lineage to 1904 and Louis Cartier's groundbreaking commission for aviation pioneer Alberto Santos-Dumont. This ultra-thin piece houses a handwound ETA 2512 calibre and features an elegant white dial with elongated Roman numerals and chemin-de-fer minute track. Fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent wore his own example inverted on his right wrist, a choice captured in this 1971 Horst P. Horst portrait for Vogue.
Yves Saint Laurent Spotted Wearing Cartier Must de Cartier Tank in Vermeil Silver-Gilt
Inserted 03/12/2022
The Must de Cartier Tank was born in 1977 as a democratizing stroke of genius — a Tank-shaped entry point at a time when Swiss watchmaking was hemorrhaging market share to Japanese quartz. Shot by Irving Penn, Yves Saint Laurent wears his Must de Cartier Tank with characteristic understated authority. The vermeil case — sterling silver with gold electroplating — gave the line its distinctive warm tone. For YSL, a man who reduced fashion to its geometric essentials, the Tank's rectangular austerity was an obvious sartorial choice.
