Actor Daniel Kaluuya spotted wearing a Cartier

When Daniel Kaluuya stepped onto the Dolby Theatre stage to accept his Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor at the 2021 Oscars, the camera caught more than a gold statuette — on his wrist sat a stainless steel Cartier Santos Skeleton, reference WHSA0015, one of the more quietly sophisticated choices a celebrity has made on that particular stage.

The Santos Skeleton WHSA0015 is built around Cartier's in-house Calibre 1847 MC, skeletonized and hand-finished to leave the gear train and escapement fully visible through the openworked dial. The medium-size case measures 39.8mm × 47.5mm — the Santos's characteristic square silhouette, now rendered in polished and brushed steel with the signature eight exposed screws on the bezel. The integrated steel bracelet features Cartier's SmartLink system for easy size adjustment and QuickSwitch for tool-free strap changes, a practical engineering detail Cartier introduced in the 2018 Santos relaunch that caught the watch industry's attention.

The Santos itself carries real historical weight: Louis Cartier designed the original in 1904 for Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, making it arguably the first purpose-built men's wristwatch. The WHSA0015 skeleton variant sits at the technical summit of the modern Santos range, offering movement transparency that was previously the domain of Cartier's Haute Horlogerie pieces. Collectors have responded positively — the combination of a legible skeleton movement, wearable proportions, and Cartier's finishing standards gives it credibility beyond the brand's more decorative offerings.

Kaluuya's track record with watches is selective and considered. The Santos Skeleton fits his aesthetic: understated in profile, technically interesting on closer inspection. For an actor who built his reputation on grounded, precise performances — from Get Out through Judas and the Black Messiah — a watch that rewards close attention rather than shouting for it seems entirely appropriate.

The Cartier Santos Skeleton WHSA0015 carries a UK list price of approximately £24,000, translating to roughly $33,000 USD at retail. On the secondary market the piece trades at or slightly below retail, reflecting Cartier steel sports models' stable but less speculative position compared to equivalent Rolex or Patek Philippe references — which, for a buyer who actually wants to wear one, is no bad thing.