The Cartier Santos WSSA0062 is the green dial Santos — and for many collectors, the most desirable configuration in the current lineup. The graduated green dial, darker at the edges and lighter toward the center, gives the familiar square case a completely different personality: sportier, moodier, and instantly recognizable across a room. It is also one of the harder Santos references to get at a boutique, which tells you everything about how much demand this dial created.
This guide covers the correct strap size for the WSSA0062 and the strap choices that work best with a green dial — because green changes the rules. What flatters a silver Santos does not automatically flatter this one.
Cartier Santos WSSA0062 Strap Size and Fit
Getting the size right comes first:
- Reference: WSSA0062, Santos de Cartier Large model
- Case width: 39.8 mm
- Correct strap size: 21 mm, made for the Cartier QuickSwitch system
On the product page, simply select the 21 mm option. The strap clicks directly into the case with the QuickSwitch release — no tools, no risk of scratching the lugs, and the change takes seconds. A generic 21 mm strap will not attach to this watch; the QuickSwitch fitting built into the strap end is what makes the connection work.
One important note: Cartier also makes this exact green dial in the Medium model (WSSA0061, 35.1 mm case), which takes a 19 mm strap instead. The two look identical in photos, so check your case size before ordering. If you own the Medium, our Cartier Santos WSSA0061 strap guide covers that size.
Why the Green Dial Santos Stands Out
The Santos story starts in 1904, when Louis Cartier built a wristwatch for the aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont so he could read the time without letting go of the controls. The square case, exposed screws and clean geometry have carried through ever since — but the dial was almost always silver.
The graduated green dial changed that. It has a sunray finish that shifts with the light, running from deep forest green at the edge to a brighter tone in the center, with polished steel Roman numerals and luminous sword-shaped hands instead of the printed black numerals of the classic dial. Add the faceted blue spinel in the crown, a 100-meter water resistance rating, and Cartier's SmartLink and QuickSwitch systems, and you have the most modern expression of the Santos — a genuine sports watch that still looks like a Cartier.
The Real Question: Your Third Strap
Here is what makes the WSSA0062 interesting for strap owners. Cartier already ships it with two options in the box: the steel bracelet and a green alligator strap. So unlike most watches, you are not replacing something — you are deciding what the box doesn't contain.
And what the box doesn't contain is easy to name. Both factory options are cool-toned: steel is cold, and the green alligator matches the dial rather than contrasting with it. Neither adds warmth. And despite the case being rated to 100 meters, neither factory strap actually wants to get wet — a steel bracelet in salt water needs rinsing, and alligator leather should never see water at all.
That points directly to the straps worth adding. These are the most popular choices among Santos WSSA0062 owners:
1. Brown Leather – The Warm Pairing the Box Is Missing
Green and brown is one of the most reliable combinations in watches — the reason green-dial pieces are photographed on brown and tan leather all over the internet. The logic is simple: green is a nature color, and brown grounds it. On the WSSA0062, a brown leather strap for the Cartier Santos warms up a watch whose factory kit is entirely cool-toned, and makes the graduated dial read richer and deeper rather than icy.
If you only add one strap to this watch, this is the one that changes it most — and it is the direction Cartier's own box never goes. Select the 21 mm option, and the QuickSwitch system does the rest.
2. Black Rubber – The One That Uses the 100 Meters
The WSSA0062 is water-resistant to 100 meters, but the green alligator in the box is not built for a single one of them. A black rubber strap for the Cartier Santos unlocks what the case can already do: summer, travel, the beach, the gym — while both factory options stay safe at home. Matte black also sits beautifully under a dark green dial, keeping the watch sporty without competing with it.
This is one of the most popular strap choices for the modern Santos overall, and it is the practical answer for anyone who actually wears the watch daily. If you want the strap to echo the case, there is also a version with the signature Santos screw motif and a new-style deployant clasp. Every Helvetus rubber strap comes with a lifetime warranty.
3. Black Leather – Maximum Depth
A graduated dial is darkest at its edges — and a black leather strap continues that darkness outward past the case, which makes the green look as deep and saturated as it ever gets. This is the dress answer for the WSSA0062: restrained, formal, and the strongest contrast you can give the dial without adding a second color. It is also compatible with the original Cartier buckle, if you prefer to keep using it.
4. Blue Leather – The Color the Watch Already Owns
Look closely at the crown: the faceted blue spinel is the only non-green color Cartier put on this watch. A blue leather strap picks that detail up and gives the WSSA0062 a cooler, more modern character — green and navy is a quieter combination than it sounds, closer to classic menswear than to a statement. Choose this if you want the watch to read sleek rather than warm.
You can browse every compatible option — more leather colors and rubber tones in 21 mm — in the full Cartier Santos de Cartier strap collection.
One More Reason to Rotate Straps
The SmartLink bracelet is one of the best things about this watch — which is exactly why many owners keep it in the box for most of the year. Polished steel picks up hairline scratches from desks, door frames and daily wear, and a bracelet in excellent condition matters when a watch is as sought after as this one. Wearing the WSSA0062 on a strap during the week and saving the bracelet for occasions keeps the whole set fresh. If you remove links using the SmartLink system, store them with the bracelet — a complete set always holds its value best.
Final Thoughts
The green dial Santos rewards owners who treat it as Cartier designed it: a watch built to change. Helvetus is one of the leading names in the aftermarket strap world, and our Santos straps are made specifically for the QuickSwitch system — an exact fit for the WSSA0062, with no tools and no guesswork. Rubber straps are covered by a lifetime warranty, shipping is free worldwide with no import costs, and more than 50,000 watch owners already trust us with their straps.
Your Santos came with two looks in the box. The third one is up to you.
