Cover Rafa Rodrigo wears his Cartier Tank Louis as he discusses history, heritage and horological excellence of the Maison
Rafa Rodrigo wears his Cartier Tank Louis as he discusses history, heritage and horological excellence of the Maison
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Rafa Rodrigo shares his latest self-proclaimed obsession with Cartier, built on his appreciation for its history and legacy
“I fell in love with Cartier because of its history,” Rafa Rodrigo smiles. The entrepreneur, investor and supporter of several F&B concepts cherishes his watches from the hallowed Maison—among them, the Santos-Dumont. He leans forward and continues, “Now, Alberto Santos-Dumont was a pilot, and good friends with Louis Cartier. He complained that he had a hard time reading his pocket watch while flying. You can’t really let go of the stick while you’re in the air.” This exchange led to the commission and creation of the Santos-Dumont, the first purpose-made men’s wristwatch in the world.
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Above Rodrigo’s collection of Santos-Dumont watches
Rodrigo’s collection of Santos-Dumont watches
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This impromptu history lesson, delivered with such palpable enthusiasm, revealed much about Rodrigo’s admiration for not just Cartier, but the discipline of horology as a whole. Indeed, much of our conversation revolved around the historical context and design behind watches from across the world—topics such as the origin of the Tank, or how one can tell if a certain timepiece is platinum or steel just by looking at the crown. He shared this love and fascination with Tatler GMT as we sat inside Always Welcome, an upcoming bar concept tucked into a small niche of Makati.
Dark wooden surfaces, softly lit walls and the subtle glint of wine glasses provided an apt atmosphere for reminiscing. “I started way back, maybe close to a decade,” Rodrigo recalls. “I started off with vintage watches, then moved on to independents. Aside from the rarity and craftsmanship, it’s because no one would buy [them] back then. I would be able to buy certain brands at very good prices.” This was before he had proceeded to collect Cartier, which today includes five Santos-Dumonts, a Cloche Skeleton, a Baignoire, an Asymétrique Skeleton and of course, two Tanks.
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Above Rodrigo’s Cartier Santos-Dumont Ref WGSA0096
Rodrigo’s Cartier Santos-Dumont Ref WGSA0096
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Being active in several startups and concepts means that Rodrigo seldom has time to himself, often arriving home at two in the morning, only to squeeze in about four or five hours of sleep. What time he does have on the weekends, he dedicates to his family. In particular, he always accompanies his children on their hobbies outside the house. “My daughter rides horses and my son drives go-karts,” he shares—adding he’d be lucky if both happened to be in the same area. Otherwise, it would mean he’d be in for a long drive.
When Rodrigo does find time for himself, it revolves around the simple joy of walking. This suits his daily driver of choice, his black lacquer Santos-Dumont or the Tank Louis. “They’re both classics, and easy to wear,” he explains. “It’s understated, and from afar, people can’t really tell what it is. And it’s part of my lifestyle: I walk around a lot, and it’s light on the wrist.”
“I walk two to three hours a day,” he adds, “And I’ll have walking meetings too.” As someone heavily invested into the local F&B scene, he has also developed a deep appreciation for cocktails and mixes. “It’s actually how a lot of our meetings go—we’ll either be drinking or walking as we’re meeting,” he jokes.
Above Rodrigo’s appreciation for Cartier stems from its heritage and rarity
Above Rodrigo’s Cartier Cloche de Cartier Skeleton
Rodrigo’s appreciation for Cartier stems from its heritage and rarity
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His other daily driver holds much deeper significance. “The Tank Louis, I got in Istanbul,” Rodrigo recounts. “I was on a family trip with my wife, planning our ten-year vow renewal.” He decided to visit a Cartier boutique, and at first, nothing caught his eye. They were pieces he had seen before or had no especially great interest in. That was, until he spotted something in the corner of his eye. “I randomly saw the Tank; it had a sunburst dial with Arabic numerals. It was a Middle East exclusive limited to only 200 pieces, and I fell in love with it.”
Though fascinated by the historical significance and legacy of Cartier, Rodrigo also appreciates the wide range forms their watches are available in. “They’re fun when it comes to shapes,” he laughs. “The Baignoire is a bathtub shaped watch, or as it was called in the Fifties, oval-shaped. Then there’s the Asymétrique and the Cloche. The [former] is titled to one side, and the 12 o’clock is at the 2 o’clock. The [latter], the 12 o’clock is at 3 o’clock,” he elaborates. However, he stresses that he is not a one-watch wonder. He still has his Rolex watches and pieces from his independent days, but he describes Cartier as his current “obsession.”
Above Rodrigo holds his Cartier Baignoire
Rodrigo holds his Cartier Baignoire
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The latest addition to Rodrigo’s collection is the Cartier Tank à Guichets, which, to his regret, did not arrive on time for our interview. “I really wanted a jump hour movement,” he explains. This watch, which Rodrigo describes as a “weighing scale,” gives off an architectural, almost brutalist impression. Two apertures display the date and time; on the Oblique model, these are tilted at a slight angle. As an aside, his dream watch is not from the French house, but a Swiss one: the F.P. Journe Chronomètre Souverain.
Rodrigo speaks of his passion for watchmaking through history and heritage. It is an appreciation that explores beyond the exquisite brushing or feats of engineering, and into what prompted such qualities to begin with. It is a genuine joy that is impossible to discount or smile in the face of, especially when he steers the conversation on horology forward with a few simple words: “Did you know that...”
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Credits
Photography: Wesley Villarica
Photography Assistant: Jason Sevilla and Ariel Benedicto
Production: Isabel Francisco, Bianca Simeon and Tobias Jared Tomas
Grooming: Johnson Estrella
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About
Tobias wants to write things that make people think, laugh, and reflect. He’s especially proud when he can sneak in a cheeky pop-culture reference or a pun in his titles and articles.
He possesses a deep love of history, resulting from years of books, games, and museum visits. It was this fascination with the human endeavour that fostered his love of writing, spanning genres, tones, and moods. He one day hopes to write a novel—he just hasn't decided on a genre yet. A certified homebody, you'll often find him on the computer he built himself, binge-watching Seinfeld or House, playing his favourite gacha game, or reading a book.
Work
Tobias is a features writer that specialises in branded content. Reach out to him at tobias.tomas@tatlerasia.com.
