There are certain designs that just resonate throughout the years and remain evergreen despite changing trends and tastes.
The Cartier Tank, in all its one hundred-plus years of production, is one such design. Whether in gold (yellow, pink, or white), stainless steel, or vermeil; whether Française, Chinoise, Americaine, or Normale; the Tank by Cartier is one watch that truly deserves to be called "iconic."
Cartier introduced the Tank in 1917, with a run of six pieces — given, or so the legend goes, to American General Joseph Pershing and his staff. The design of the Tank was supposedly inspired by the Renault FT-17 tanks Cartier glimpsed on the battlefield of the Great War. (Cartier took the look of the Renault Tank's treads and applied it to the lugs, which were integrated via brancards into the case itself.) That first run of six pieces increased to thirty-three by 1920, and by the end of the 20th century, that number stood well in the thousands. In sheer volume alone, the Tank — in all its various models — is Cartier's largest line of watches.
The particular Tank we have here, an Anglaise, was part of a line introduced in 2012. With its curvilinear case and enclosed, table-cut stone crown, the Anglaise is a subtle tweak on a classic model that stands out from the crowd for its considered design. Housed in a stainless steel case with a sapphire crystal and polished stainless steel crown and crown protector, it features a silver guilloché, non-luminous dial with painted, black Roman indices — the classic configuration!
Powered by a quartz movement and paired to a stainless steel multi-link bracelet with a hidden deployant clasp, this Anglaise has a wonderful personality combining both classic and modern Cartier details.
Pick up this great example today!