WATCH REVIVAL
‘Tank Asymétrique’, by Cartier
The original ‘Tank’ watch was designed by Cartier in 1917 in response to the First World War. The angled architecture of the armoured vehicles used on the Western Front became the sharp silhouette of the ‘Tank’ case, a rare rectangle when watches were typically round. Two decades later, the ‘Tank Asymétrique’ built on this design with a mischievous tweak. All components shifted 30 degrees to the right, rumoured to be because the angle made the time easier to view when you raised your wrist, putting functionality at the heart of the dress watch. Last year, Cartier re-released the ‘Tank Asymétrique’ as part of its Privé collection, which reworks its classic watches for a new generation. The face of the reworked model nods to the original 1936 design with Arabic numerals (a rare stylistic device for Cartier), but their elongated serif forms add a more modern take to the rounded curves of the original font. Three new versions, in yellow gold, rose gold and platinum, imbue this rich design heritage with a contemporary twist. * cartier.com