What is a Cartier Santos Galbée Ref. 119901 worth?

Archiva has found no public sales of Ref. 119901 in the last five years. The closest comparable, from November 2023 to November 2026: Ref. 119902 (Moon phase, steel and gold, quartz, large or small): one sale, $2,700. A guide to the neighborhood, not a price for Ref. 119901.

What is the Santos Galbée Ref. 119901?

The large Santos Galbée with a moon phase: a 29 × 41 mm stainless steel case with an 18k yellow gold bezel and screws, a steel and gold bracelet, and a quartz movement that shows the moon phase at 6 o'clock and the date with a central pointer hand. Dated examples run from 1987 to the mid-1990s.

How is the 119901 different from the 187901?

Both are 29 × 41 mm steel and 18k yellow gold quartz Galbées. The 187901 has a date window at 6 o'clock. The 119901 has a moon phase aperture at 6 o'clock instead, and reads the date from a pointer hand on a scale around the dial.

How is the 119901 different from the 119902?

By size. The 119901 is the large 29 × 41 mm model; the 119902 is the small 24 × 35 mm moon phase Galbée in the same steel and gold.

What should the case back read?

119901 and a serial. Sotheby's prints the case number 02626 for one example, and Fellows prints 119901 02020 for another. Sotheby's records the case back secured by eight screws.

What should I check before buying a Ref. 119901?

The case back for 119901; a moon disc that is present and advances; a pointer date that sets cleanly; gold screws and bezel that match in color and show no wear through; and a bracelet without stretch, with a clasp that closes firmly.

Cartier · Santos Galbée

Santos Galbée Moonphase, Steel & Gold, Quartz, Large Model

Ref. 119901c. 1987–mid-1990s

The Cartier Santos Galbée Ref. 119901 is the large moon phase Galbée: a 29 × 41 mm stainless steel and 18k yellow gold quartz watch with a pointer date and a moon phase at 6 o'clock, dated from 1987 to the mid-1990s.

Have this watch?

We found no public sales of Ref. 119901 in the last five years.

Closest comparable

Ref. 119902 (Moon phase, steel and gold, quartz, large or small): one sale, $2,700. A guide to the neighborhood, not a price for Ref. 119901.

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Specifications

Reference: 119901; Large model, stainless steel and 18k yellow gold, quartz, moon phase and pointer date
Year: c. 1987–mid-1990s; Amsterdam Watch Company dates one example to 1987, Sotheby's one to circa 1990 and Amsterdam Vintage Watches one to the mid-1990s; the first and last years of production are not documented
Movement: Quartz; Cartier quartz with moon phase and pointer date
Case: 29 × 41 mm, Stainless steel and 18k yellow gold
Dial: White or ivory; Black Roman numerals, moon phase aperture at 6 o'clock, pointer date read by a blued hand with a crescent tip; Fellows catalogs one dial as silvered
Hands: Blued steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Strap: Integrated steel and 18k yellow gold bracelet; Steel and gold links with a steel deployant clasp

Visual Description

The Ref. 119901 is the large Santos Galbée with a moon phase. Sotheby's and Amsterdam Watch Company give the case as 29 × 41 mm, in stainless steel with an 18k yellow gold bezel and screws, on an integrated steel and gold bracelet with a steel deployant clasp. The dial is white or ivory, with black Roman numerals, a moon phase aperture at 6 o'clock and a date read from a pointer hand; Amsterdam Vintage Watches describes that hand as blued with a crescent tip, under a sapphire crystal.

Reference Significance

The 119901 is the moon phase version of the large steel and gold Galbée. It shares its size and metals with the quartz Ref. 187901 and Ref. 1566, but where they have a date window at 6 o'clock, the 119901 shows the moon phase there and gives the date with a pointer. Its small companion is the Ref. 119902, at 24 × 35 mm.

Sotheby's catalogs the movement as quartz with 7 jewels. Fellows names the Cal. 19, the caliber three auction houses and dealers also give for the 119902; no second record of the 119901's caliber was found.

Historical Context

Dated examples run from 1987, the year Amsterdam Watch Company gives for one and the year the Galbée was introduced, through one Sotheby's dates to about 1990, to one Amsterdam Vintage Watches dates to the mid-1990s. The first and last years of production are not documented.

What to Look For

Case back: It should read 119901, with a serial. Fellows prints it as 119901 02020.

Moon phase and date: The moon disc should be present and advance, and the date pointer should set cleanly. Fellows has cataloged a small 119902 whose moon appears lost, so check the disc closely.

Metal: The gold bezel and screws should match in color and show no wear through.

Bracelet: Look for stretch and replaced links, and check that the deployant clasp closes firmly.

Known Variants

Documented dial, case, and bracelet variations of Ref. 119901.

White or Ivory Roman Dial

A pale dial with black Roman numerals, a moon phase aperture at 6 o'clock and a pointer date. Sotheby's and Wright catalog it as white, Amsterdam Watch Company and Amsterdam Vintage Watches as ivory, and Fellows as silvered; whether these are separate finishes or the same dial aged is not settled.

c. 1987–mid-1990sDocumented at auction and by dealers

How to tell it apart

What separates a Ref. 119901 from its neighbors, and what to check before you buy or sell one.

What is a Cartier Santos Galbée Ref. 119901 worth?: Archiva has found no public sales of Ref. 119901 in the last five years. The closest comparable, from November 2023 to November 2026: Ref. 119902 (Moon phase, steel and gold, quartz, large or small): one sale, $2,700. A guide to the neighborhood, not a price for Ref. 119901.
What is the Santos Galbée Ref. 119901?: The large Santos Galbée with a moon phase: a 29 × 41 mm stainless steel case with an 18k yellow gold bezel and screws, a steel and gold bracelet, and a quartz movement that shows the moon phase at 6 o'clock and the date with a central pointer hand. Dated examples run from 1987 to the mid-1990s.
How is the 119901 different from the 187901?: Both are 29 × 41 mm steel and 18k yellow gold quartz Galbées. The 187901 has a date window at 6 o'clock. The 119901 has a moon phase aperture at 6 o'clock instead, and reads the date from a pointer hand on a scale around the dial.
How is the 119901 different from the 119902?: By size. The 119901 is the large 29 × 41 mm model; the 119902 is the small 24 × 35 mm moon phase Galbée in the same steel and gold.
What should the case back read?: 119901 and a serial. Sotheby's prints the case number 02626 for one example, and Fellows prints 119901 02020 for another. Sotheby's records the case back secured by eight screws.
What should I check before buying a Ref. 119901?: The case back for 119901; a moon disc that is present and advances; a pointer date that sets cleanly; gold screws and bezel that match in color and show no wear through; and a bracelet without stretch, with a clasp that closes firmly.

Specialist Dealer

A dealer who handles Ref. 119901

Alex Stevens Vintage

Founding dealer

Curated vintage watches with a focus on Cartier and military timepieces

Location: London, United Kingdom
Established: Est. 2015
Services: In-house inspection

Tank Louis CartierTank AméricaineTank FrançaiseSantosSantos GalbéeSantos DumontPanthère de Cartier

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