Luxury watches have once again slipped into the heart of Karnataka’s political chatter. Years after the controversy surrounding Siddaramaiah’s Hublot, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is back in the spotlight- this time for a high-end Cartier timepiece that has become the talk of the state.
A breakfast meeting, two leaders, and two Cartier watches
During a recent breakfast meeting, both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar were spotted wearing Cartier watches. Yet it was Siddaramaiah who instantly drew the public eye, thanks to the striking rose-gold Santos de Cartier, a model known for its prestige and price tag of around ₹43.2 lakh.
Interestingly, this follows another Cartier sighting in national politics, Union Minister Chirag Paswan was also seen wearing a Santos during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this year, though his version belonged to a relatively modest segment of the lineup.
A peak luxury model
The version worn by Siddaramaiah sits at the top tier of the Santos family. Fully crafted in 18K rose gold, the watch features an integrated bracelet with exposed screws- a signature design element that dates back to the original Santos created in 1904. The 1847 MC automatic movement inside powers the hours, minutes, seconds, and a neatly placed date window at 6 o’clock.
Its aesthetic stays true to Cartier’s iconic design language. The watch features a silvered white dial, bold Roman numerals, a precise railway minute track, blued sword hands, and the brand’s trademark blue cabochon on the crown
Size, comfort, and everyday durability
Despite being a full-gold watch, the large Santos avoids looking overly bulky. With a 39.8 mm width and around 9 mm thickness, it balances presence with wearability. The model also offers 100-metre water resistance, making it robust enough for daily wear and even light aquatic activity.
The solid-gold bracelet sits flat on the wrist, delivering both comfort and unmistakable visual impact. Unlike many modern Santos models equipped with QuickSwitch or SmartLink strap systems, the piece Siddaramaiah wore appears to be fixed solely on its gold bracelet, a configuration common in high-end full-gold variants.
The Hublot Controversy
This isn’t Siddaramaiah’s first watch-centred controversy. In 2016, he became the target of fierce criticism after being seen with a limited-edition Hublot, which opponents claimed cost between ₹50–70 lakh. The debate escalated into a political storm questioning whether a leader who positions himself as pro-poor should display such opulence.
Opposition parties circulated images, demanded disclosures, and raised concerns about asset declarations and compliance with the Prevention of Corruption Act. After initial pushback, Siddaramaiah clarified that the Hublot had been a gift from an old NRI friend, Dr Girish Chandra Varma, and not worth the exaggerated figures being claimed.
