What is a Cartier Santos Galbée Ref. 987901 worth?

Public auction and dealer results for Ref. 987901 from November 2023 to November 2026 come to $2,550 to $3,050, with a median of $2,550 across 3 sales of this exact reference. The most recent was $2,500 at Aguttes in December 2024. Condition, service history, and the original box and papers move an individual watch within that range.

What is the Santos Galbée Ref. 987901?

The large all-steel quartz Galbée, with dated examples from 1989 to about 1992: a 29 × 41 mm stainless steel case with curved sides, an off-white dial with painted blue Roman numerals, center seconds and a date at 6 o'clock, blued steel sword hands, a sapphire crystal and an integrated steel bracelet with exposed screws and a folding clasp. Bukowskis catalogs it with the Cartier Cal. 87; Cal. 687 is also cited.

Why do some catalogs give 987901 as a case number?

Catalogs split the number on the case back differently. Aguttes prints Ref. 987901 with the serial No. 00373, while Bukowskis prints the whole engraving as the case number, 987901 / 06242. Either way it is the same all-steel quartz Galbée; judge it by its curved case and its dial.

What dial variants exist on the Ref. 987901?

One dial is documented in the auction and dealer records consulted: cream or off-white with painted blue Roman numerals and a blue railway minute track. No other dial was found in those records.

What should I check before buying a Ref. 987901?

Even brushing on the case with no heavy polishing, blue numerals with even color and no lifting paint, a date window at 6 o'clock free of moisture marks, bracelet screws that are all present and original, a folding clasp that is neither stiff nor loose, and quartz timekeeping within normal tolerance.

Cartier · Santos Galbée

Santos Galbée, Steel, Quartz

Ref. 987901c. 1989–1990s

The Cartier Santos Galbée Ref. 987901 is a 29 × 41 mm all-steel quartz Santos Galbée made c. 1989–1990s, with an off-white dial, painted blue Roman numerals and a date at 6 o'clock, on a Cartier quartz caliber given as Cal. 87 or Cal. 687.

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Recent sales of Ref. 987901: $2,550 to $3,050, median $2,550 across 3 sales of this exact reference, Nov 2023 to Nov 2026. What's yours worth?

Only sales that name Ref. 987901 count here.

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Specifications

Reference: 987901; Men's all-steel, quartz movement
Year: c. 1989–1990s; Dated examples run from a December 1989 warranty to about 1992; the end of production is not documented
Movement: Quartz; Cartier quartz; Cal. 87 and Cal. 687 are both cited
Case: 29 × 41 mm, Stainless steel
Dial: Off-white; Painted blue Roman numeral indices, date aperture at 6 o'clock, center seconds
Hands: Blued steel; Sword-shaped
Crystal: Sapphire; Scratch-resistant
Strap: Integrated bracelet; Stainless steel links with exposed screws, fold-over clasp

Visual Description

The Ref. 987901 is the all-steel quartz Santos Galbée in the large 29 × 41 mm size, with the curved case sides that give the Galbée its name and exposed screws on the bezel. The off-white or cream dial carries painted blue Roman numerals and a blue railway minute track, with blued steel sword hands, center seconds and a date window at 6 o'clock. A sapphire crystal covers the dial, and the integrated steel bracelet, also with exposed screws, closes on a folding clasp.

Reference Significance

Dated examples of the 987901 run from a December 1989 warranty, on an example cataloged by Aguttes, to about 1992. That makes it the earlier of the two all-steel large Galbées on Archiva: the Ref. 1564, the same 29 × 41 mm quartz watch with a white dial and black numerals, is dated from about 1997.

Catalogs split its case-back number in different ways. Bukowskis prints the whole engraving as the case number, and it has cataloged a steel Galbée of about 1994 under the number W20018D6 with a serial beginning 987901; whether W20018D6 is a catalog number for this reference is not yet settled.

Historical Context

Cartier introduced the Santos Galbée in 1987, a more rounded version of the 1978 Santos launched with quartz movements. The 987901's dated examples, from 1989 to about 1992, come from the line's first years.

Its movement is a Cartier quartz caliber. Bukowskis catalogs Cal. 87 on the 987901; Cal. 687 is also cited, and Bukowskis itself has cataloged both numbers on the steel and gold Ref. 187901.

What to Look For

The brushed steel case should show even finishing with the light wear of daily use; heavy or amateur polishing softens the edges around the screws. The painted blue numerals should be even in color without lifting. The date window at 6 o'clock should be clear and free of moisture marks; signs of water inside call for a service and new seals.

The sapphire crystal resists scratches, so deep marks suggest hard wear. All bracelet screws should be present and original, and the folding clasp should close smoothly, neither stiff nor loose. The quartz movement should keep time within normal tolerance; a stopped watch usually needs a battery or a service.

Known Variants

Documented dial, case, and bracelet variations of Ref. 987901.

Cream Dial, Blue Roman Numerals

Cream or off-white dial with painted blue Roman numerals and a blue railway minute track, blued steel sword hands, center seconds and a date at 6 o'clock.

c. 1989–1990sStandard

How to tell it apart

What separates a Ref. 987901 from its neighbors, and what to check before you buy or sell one.

What is a Cartier Santos Galbée Ref. 987901 worth?: Public auction and dealer results for Ref. 987901 from November 2023 to November 2026 come to $2,550 to $3,050, with a median of $2,550 across 3 sales of this exact reference. The most recent was $2,500 at Aguttes in December 2024. Condition, service history, and the original box and papers move an individual watch within that range.
What is the Santos Galbée Ref. 987901?: The large all-steel quartz Galbée, with dated examples from 1989 to about 1992: a 29 × 41 mm stainless steel case with curved sides, an off-white dial with painted blue Roman numerals, center seconds and a date at 6 o'clock, blued steel sword hands, a sapphire crystal and an integrated steel bracelet with exposed screws and a folding clasp. Bukowskis catalogs it with the Cartier Cal. 87; Cal. 687 is also cited.
Why do some catalogs give 987901 as a case number?: Catalogs split the number on the case back differently. Aguttes prints Ref. 987901 with the serial No. 00373, while Bukowskis prints the whole engraving as the case number, 987901 / 06242. Either way it is the same all-steel quartz Galbée; judge it by its curved case and its dial.
What dial variants exist on the Ref. 987901?: One dial is documented in the auction and dealer records consulted: cream or off-white with painted blue Roman numerals and a blue railway minute track. No other dial was found in those records.
What should I check before buying a Ref. 987901?: Even brushing on the case with no heavy polishing, blue numerals with even color and no lifting paint, a date window at 6 o'clock free of moisture marks, bracelet screws that are all present and original, a folding clasp that is neither stiff nor loose, and quartz timekeeping within normal tolerance.