Timeless Creation

Tank de CarTier—an exquisiTe ColleCTion ThaT has Come Through The ages wiTh sTyle and eleganCe—CelebraTes iTs firsT CenTury

This year is a monumental year for Cartier, as it marks the 100th anniversary of the Tank de Cartier collection. Historically, the collection was inspired by the treads of the Renault FT-17 light tank, one of the earliest tank models which saw widespread use during WWI. The watches themselves were designed and created by Louis Cartier, grandson of the brand’s founder, back in 1917. As the story goes, Cartier, modeled the design of the Tank watches after the top view of the actual tank. In this case, the brancards—the parallel and vertical bars on the side of the Tank that incorporate the lugs of the strap—evokes the treads, while the case represents the cockpit of the vehicle.

Now 100 years old, the Tank watch has never been so new. The strength of the design lays in its dramatic break with elaborate curves that were so fashionable at the time and the exercise of restraint in its form. For free spirits from every age, it is a universal symbol of style and elegance that has taken an unprecedented path. And this path has now spanned an entire century. While bridging different eras, the collection has given rise to a resolutely modern way of life centered around three cult models: the Tank Louis Cartier, the Tank Américaine and the Tank Française. As for the watch centennial this year, Cartier has introduced a new collection based on some of its most iconic models.

Tank Louis CarTier

In a distinctive design that spans a century since its creation in 1922, the Tank Louis Cartier symbolizes the quintessential Tank de Cartier spirit. Today, the model offers two new faces, both powered by the 8971 MC mechanical movement with manual winding. The watch itself comes in two size options: small or large model. Tone-wise, there are pink and white gold variants set with diamonds, along with two pink gold models without diamonds. Also noteworthy of the new Tank Louis Cartier is that instead of the sapphire cabochon on the crown, there’s a matching diamond instead.

Tank amériCaine

Based on the curved case of the 1921 Tank Cintrée watch, the Tank Américaine was first designed in 1987 and then subsequently launched in 1989. More importantly, the Tank Américaine was also the first Cartier watch to offer a curved water-resistant case. Coming in three sizes—small, medium and large—the new Tank Américaine