The new Cartier Santos Replica actually revives a look the brand first rolled out in 2009 with the Santos 100 ADLC, which was the brand’s first use of amorphous diamond-like carbon as a case coating.

A nano-composite coating, ADLC possesses diamond-like properties, including high corrosion and scratch resistance, improving the robustness of the watch case. But like all coatings it can detach if the material below is dented or scratched deeply.

Like the Skeleton ADLC “Noctambule”, the AAA Replica Santos ADLC is available only in the largest LM case that’s 47.5 mm by 39.8 mm on the face and a height of 9.38 mm, making it a big but relatively slim watch. It is available in two iterations: all-black ADLC-coated steel, or two-tone steel with an ADLC bezel.

While the case dimensions are identical to the standard Santos, the new models have a low-key matte finish. The bezel is brushed, instead of the mirror polish found on the standard model, with only the bevels along the edge of the case being polished.

The steel model features a dark grey dial which matches the shade of the Best Replica Cartier ADLC coating on the bezel. Though the dial is a single colour, it appears two-tone due to the surface finishing – vertical brushing on the inner dial, echoing the finishing on the bezel, which is set against a radially brushed chapter ring.

The ADLC model, on the other hand, has a pure-black, matte dial, offering a stark contrast of shades and textures while accentuating the all-black look.