Musician Sivert Høyem spotted wearing a Cartier

Sivert Høyem, best known as the former frontman of Madrugada and a critically acclaimed solo artist, was recently photographed wearing a Cartier Santos de Cartier in large stainless steel — a sighting that speaks volumes about the watch's crossover appeal well beyond traditional finance or sporting circles. The setting, a moody outdoor portrait framed by dense foliage, suits both the man and the timepiece: considered, quietly confident, and entirely without pretension.

The watch on Høyem's wrist is the Santos de Cartier Large reference WSSA0018, introduced as part of Cartier's sweeping 2018 relaunch of the Santos line. The case measures 39.8mm × 47.5mm in brushed and polished stainless steel, with the signature exposed octagonal screws on the bezel and integrated bracelet links that defined the original Gerald Genta-influenced design. The white silvered dial carries Roman numerals, a rail-track minute chapter, and Cartier's characteristic blued steel sword-shaped hands — refined details executed with the consistency you expect from one of the Richemont group's flagship maisons. Powering the watch is the Manufacture Calibre 1847 MC, a self-winding movement with a 42-hour power reserve, beating at 28,800 vph, visible through a sapphire caseback.

From a collector's standpoint, the large steel Santos occupies a pragmatic but respectable position in Cartier's catalogue. It is robust enough for daily wear, versatile enough across dress codes, and benefits from the 2018 relaunch's most practical innovation: the QuickSwitch system, which allows tool-free interchange between the integrated bracelet and a leather strap. Collectors appreciate the Santos for its historical legitimacy — no other square sports watch can claim 120 years of largely uninterrupted production.

Høyem's choice makes aesthetic sense. His work, from the dense rock textures of Madrugada to the orchestral folk of his solo records, favours substance and atmosphere over flash. The Santos de Cartier WSSA0018, listed at approximately $8,650 retail, threads the same needle: it is a serious object with a long pedigree, worn without ceremony.

On the grey market, the large steel Santos trades close to or slightly below retail, reflecting healthy but not feverish demand — a healthy sign for buyers seeking entry into the Cartier sports watch universe without the premiums that plague comparable references from Geneva's sportier houses.