Cartier has a significant role in the watchmaking industry from the past to the present. The founder, Louis Cartier has created and set the design direction of the brand’s watches that have been recognized as iconic of the brand and the watch world. Especially, the birth of the Tank collection in the early 20th century.
Cartier’s origins date back to 1847, when Louis-Francois Cartier took over his master’s workshop and established it as a small jewelry house that led to the expansion of a luxury jewelry house on Rue de La Paix in 1874, before handing over the business to the third generation, Louis, Pierre and Jacques, who established the Cartier name worldwide. Before expanding into foreign markets opening new branches in London in 1902 and New York in 1909, which was considered an introduction of Cartier to people around the world.
The Cartier Tank was created in 1917 by Louis Cartier, the founder’s grandson. The Renault FT-17, a French tank employed during the First World War, served as the inspiration behind the iconic design of the Tank collection. The original Tank watches its square shape in a rectangular frame enhanced with black Roman numerals on a white dial and decorated with a blue sapphire cabochon on the crown, seamlessly connected to the case with a black leather strap. In 1918, the prototype watch was presented by Cartier to General John J. Pershing of the American Expeditionary Force, before being officially sold in 1919.
More than 100 years in the timepiece world, the Tank collection has been re-design and adjusted with the release of many different sub-models but still maintains its unique shape and design that has become the brand iconic watch that has been well received by celebrities around the world and has been worn by actors like Rudolph Valentino, Clark Gable and Fred Astaire, Princess Diana, or the legendary pop art artist Andy Warhol, who with a special fondness for Tanks, once said, “I don’t wear a Tank watch to tell the time. Actually, I never even wind it. I wear a Tank because it is the watch to wear!”
That is the story of Tank, with its remarkable design that made it extremely different because the original inspired it from the tank and became an inspiration in the world of creating classic art on the wrist as well. If you would like to be a part of the Cartier Tank world, we have three timepieces from this collection for your consideration.
1. Tank Louis Cartier Bangkok Edition: It’s not often that Thai watch collectors have a chance to see a classic timepiece made in a special edition for our capital, Bangkok. Therefore, this watch is very special and something that Thai people who have Cartier Tank in their hearts should not miss. Inspired by the nickname of Thailand “The Golden Kingdom”, this limited edition is crafted on a golden case size 33.7 x 25.5 m and is only 6.6 mm thick.
In terms of design, this model was created from the original Louis Cartier Tank that launched in 1922, which still maintains the unique geometric design of the Tank, but differs in the side bezel that is more rounded. The gold dial has a strategic play with textures that was inspired by Tank Must Vermeil from 1980 and makes this timepiece stand out and full of special characteristics.
The Tank Bangkok Edition is equipped with a hand-wound mechanical movement, Calibre 1917 MC with a power reserve of 38 hours and can withstand water pressure up to 3 bars (30 meters). The strap can be removed and changed to 2 different styles, black alligator strap or brown alligator strap with the exclusive of producing only 67 pieces and the code 67 represents the year 2024 of Thailand.
2.Tank Française: This model was released in 1996, a steel strap that blended perfectly with the case and immediately became a member of the distinguished Tank collection. After that, this watch disappeared from the market, until 27 years later Tank Française returned with a design that has changed according to the times and is more contemporary while maintaining the original identity of this collection entirely.
Tank Française is available in 3 case sizes: SM (Small Model) with dimensions of 25.7 x 21.7 x 6.8 mm., followed by MM (Medium Model) with dimensions of 32 x 27 x 7.1 mm. and LM (Large Medium) with dimensions of 36.7 x 30.5 x 10.1 mm. The dial features Railroad Minute Track to indicate the minute scale with hour digits that are Roman numerals and sword-shaped hands with a pointed tip, and specially for the LM model will come with a date window located at the 9 o’clock position.
The SM and MM size cases come with a High-Autonomy quartz movement that has an eight-year battery life. The LM model powered by the Calibre 1853 that developed from the Sellita SW100 movement, also known as ETA2671, it has a power reserve of 37 hours.
3. Tank Américaine: First introduced in 1989, a shape designed to combine with the Tank Cintrée to make the case more rounded. Cartier has brought this watch back as part of the Tank collection and officially relaunched in 2023 with a shape that emphasizes more curves than ever before.
Available in gold case and gold strap or called All Gold, the steel case and leather strap, rose gold case with diamond decoration and leather strap, white gold case and rose gold case with diamond decoration. The steel model was designed specifically for the Tank Américaine, with more finely engraved lines for a sporty feel and the bracelet is polished on all sides making it shine brightly when exposed to sunlight. It is powered by the 1899 MC, scaled to fit the Tank Américaine’s slimmer case.
