What is a Cartier Santos Galbée Ref. 1566 worth?

Public auction and dealer results for Ref. 1566 from November 2023 to November 2026 come to $3,050 to $3,800, with a median of $3,750 across 3 sales of this exact reference. The most recent was $2,350 at Lyon & Turnbull in November 2025. Condition, service history, and the original box and papers move an individual watch within that range.

What is the Santos Galbée Ref. 1566?

The large steel and gold quartz Santos Galbée: a 29 × 41 mm stainless steel case with an 18k yellow gold bezel held by eight screws, a white or silvered dial with Roman numerals, center seconds and a date at 6 o'clock, blued steel sword hands, a sapphire crystal and an integrated steel and gold bracelet with a folding clasp. Dated examples run from papers of 1996 to about 2010.

How is the 1566 different from the 187901?

By the number on the case back and by date. Both are 29 × 41 mm quartz Galbées in stainless steel with an 18k yellow gold bezel. Dated 187901s run from about 1990 to about 1997; the earliest dated 1566 has papers from December 1996, and Sotheby's dates others to about 2010.

Which caliber is in the Ref. 1566?

A Cartier quartz caliber, cited two ways. Sotheby's catalogs the Cal. 687 with 7 jewels, and Fellows has cataloged three examples with the Cal. 87 and one with the Cal. 687. Look at the movement itself before relying on a listing.

What should the case back read?

1566, with a serial number. Sotheby's describes one case as numbered 1566, and auction catalogs print serials such as BB083522 and CC183848 beside the reference. A case back reading 187901 is the earlier steel and gold reference.

What should I check before buying a Ref. 1566?

Lateral play at every bracelet link and a folding clasp that closes firmly; matching gold color across the bezel and the bracelet; bezel and case back screws with matching heads and undamaged slots; a dial with crisp printing; a date that changes cleanly at midnight; and the 1566 number on the case back.

Cartier · Santos Galbée

Santos Galbée, Steel & Gold, Quartz

Ref. 1566c. 1996–2010

The Cartier Santos Galbée Ref. 1566 is a 29 × 41 mm steel and 18k yellow gold quartz Galbée with a date at 6 o'clock, made c. 1996–2010 on a caliber given as Cal. 87 or Cal. 687; the matching Ref. 187901 is dated earlier.

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Recent sales of Ref. 1566: $3,050 to $3,800, median $3,750 across 3 sales of this exact reference, Nov 2023 to Nov 2026. What's yours worth?

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Specifications

Reference: 1566; Large model, stainless steel and 18k yellow gold, quartz
Year: c. 1996–2010; Fellows sold one with papers dated December 1996, and Sotheby's dates others from circa 1997 to circa 2010; the start and end of production are not documented
Movement: Quartz; Cartier quartz; Cal. 87 and Cal. 687 are both cited
Case: 29 × 41 mm, Stainless steel with 18k yellow gold bezel
Dial: White or silvered; Roman numerals, date aperture at 6 o'clock, center seconds, secret Cartier signature at VII
Hands: Blued steel; Sword-shaped
Crystal: Sapphire
Strap: Integrated steel and 18k yellow gold bracelet; Steel and gold links with a folding clasp; some examples are sold on a leather strap with a steel deployant clasp

Visual Description

The Ref. 1566 is the large Santos Galbée in steel and gold: a 29 × 41 mm stainless steel case with an 18k yellow gold bezel fixed with eight screws, and eight more on the case back. The dial is white or silvered, with Roman numerals, center seconds and a date window at 6 o'clock, under blued steel sword hands and a sapphire crystal; champagne and gray dials are also cataloged. The integrated bracelet is steel and gold with a folding clasp, and some examples have been sold on a leather strap with a steel deployant clasp.

Reference Significance

The 1566 matches the Ref. 187901 in size, metals and movement: both are 29 × 41 mm quartz Galbées in stainless steel with an 18k yellow gold bezel. They differ in the number on the case back and in date, with dated 187901s running from about 1990 to about 1997 and dated 1566s from 1996 to about 2010.

The caliber is cited two ways. Sotheby's catalogs the Cal. 687 with 7 jewels, while Fellows has cataloged three 1566s with the Cal. 87 and one with the Cal. 687.

Historical Context

Dated examples run from a watch sold with papers dated 14 December 1996 to examples dated about 2010, and others are dated to the 1990s and to about 1999. The start and end of production are not documented.

Sotheby's has offered a 1566 made to commemorate Cartier's 150th anniversary, dated circa 1997, in 18k yellow gold and stainless steel with a white dial; the catalog does not say how it differs from the standard watch.

What to Look For

The integrated bracelet is the first thing to check. Test each link for lateral play and make sure the folding clasp closes firmly. The gold of the bezel and the bracelet should match in color; a mismatch suggests a replaced part.

The screws on the bezel and the case back should have matching heads and undamaged slots. The date should change cleanly at midnight, and the case back should carry the 1566 number.

The dial should have crisp printing. Lyon & Turnbull has cataloged one 1566 with applied gilt numerals on a dark champagne dial; no other record we found shows applied numerals, so check such a dial against the case back and the movement before buying.

The caliber is cited as both Cal. 87 and Cal. 687, so look at the movement itself rather than relying on a listing.

Known Variants

Documented dial, case, and bracelet variations of Ref. 1566.

White or Silvered Dial

A white, silvered or off-white dial with Roman numerals, blued steel sword hands, center seconds and a date at 6 o'clock. Sotheby's catalogs examples as white and as silvered, and Antiquorum one as matte silver with the secret signature at VII.

c. 1996–2010Documented at auction and by dealers

Champagne Dial

A champagne dial with Roman numerals and a date at 6 o'clock, cataloged by Fellows and by Lyon & Turnbull, whose example, made in the 1990s, has applied gilt Roman numerals that no other record we found shows.

c. 1990s (one dated example)Documented at auction

Gray Dial

Fellows sold a 1566 with a gray dial, Roman numerals and a date at 6 o'clock, on a brown lizard strap.

Not dated by the catalogOne example documented

150th Anniversary

A 1566 that Sotheby's catalogs as made to commemorate Cartier's 150th anniversary, circa 1997, in 18k yellow gold and stainless steel with a white dial, on a leather strap. The lot does not say how it differs from the standard watch.

c. 1997One example documented

How to tell it apart

What separates a Ref. 1566 from its neighbors, and what to check before you buy or sell one.

What is a Cartier Santos Galbée Ref. 1566 worth?: Public auction and dealer results for Ref. 1566 from November 2023 to November 2026 come to $3,050 to $3,800, with a median of $3,750 across 3 sales of this exact reference. The most recent was $2,350 at Lyon & Turnbull in November 2025. Condition, service history, and the original box and papers move an individual watch within that range.
What is the Santos Galbée Ref. 1566?: The large steel and gold quartz Santos Galbée: a 29 × 41 mm stainless steel case with an 18k yellow gold bezel held by eight screws, a white or silvered dial with Roman numerals, center seconds and a date at 6 o'clock, blued steel sword hands, a sapphire crystal and an integrated steel and gold bracelet with a folding clasp. Dated examples run from papers of 1996 to about 2010.
How is the 1566 different from the 187901?: By the number on the case back and by date. Both are 29 × 41 mm quartz Galbées in stainless steel with an 18k yellow gold bezel. Dated 187901s run from about 1990 to about 1997; the earliest dated 1566 has papers from December 1996, and Sotheby's dates others to about 2010.
Which caliber is in the Ref. 1566?: A Cartier quartz caliber, cited two ways. Sotheby's catalogs the Cal. 687 with 7 jewels, and Fellows has cataloged three examples with the Cal. 87 and one with the Cal. 687. Look at the movement itself before relying on a listing.
What should the case back read?: 1566, with a serial number. Sotheby's describes one case as numbered 1566, and auction catalogs print serials such as BB083522 and CC183848 beside the reference. A case back reading 187901 is the earlier steel and gold reference.
What should I check before buying a Ref. 1566?: Lateral play at every bracelet link and a folding clasp that closes firmly; matching gold color across the bezel and the bracelet; bezel and case back screws with matching heads and undamaged slots; a dial with crisp printing; a date that changes cleanly at midnight; and the 1566 number on the case back.