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A TANK IS A TANK IS A TANK IS A TANK IS A TANK*
The Tank watch by Cartier is unmistakable Cartier's most popular watch.
While the Santos was the first watch and immense popular, the Tank is a watch that is considered to be the watch to have. May be because it's less outspoken than the Santos, may be because it's more dressy and easier to wear and combine, who knows. The Tank collection is the largest family in Cartier's watch collection and has a huge variety of shapes and sizes. From steel to platinum, from gold to diamond set pieces. My own first Cartier watch, was a steel Santos, but it was soon accompanied by a white gold Tank Americaine that I still wear. The Tank watch was created in 1917 out of a vision, a solid concept that was the culmination of a lengthy process of deliberation. Here was an instrument for telling the time that completely eschewed tradition, turned custom on its head, brought modern design into the ateliers and took its place as a quintessential model for watchmaking. It was said that “a Tank had stormed Cartier”. As it went on to segue between decades and straddle the century, this trailblazing watch and its revolutionary form, style and elegance were to pioneer a decisively modern lifestyle. 
Cartier's sketch of the evolution of the Tank watch, gives an excellent idea, how the idea of theTank watch was born --- 1917 BIRTH OF A LEGEND: "TANK NORMALE” WATCH" ! --- Squaring the circle... In 1904, Cartier designed a watch specifically to be worn on the wrist: the very first Santos watch was a gift from Cartier to his friend the aviator Santos-Dumont, letting him easily check the time whilst in the air. 
Gold Tank watch with 9-ligne mechanical movement, mounted on a leather strap. The strap lugs are incorporated seamlessly into the case by overhanging brancards on either side. The dial is in whitened silver with roman numerals. The chemin-de-fer chapter ring is set off by blued-steel Breguet hands, and the beaded winding crown is set with a sapphire cabochon. Combines all the distinguishing features of the Tank. Obligatory credits: Archives Cartier © Cartier. Cartier soon grasped that this invention would transform the very nature of the watch and over- turn the landscape of the watchmaking business. The wristwatch would become an essential accessory, as functional as it was elegant. The early years of the 20th. century were dedicated to formal research into aligning the circle (of the hours) with the strap and paring down the design. The ultimate goal was seamless integration of the lugs and the case as an extension of the strap. The harmonious blending of these components made the Tank watch simultaneously square and rectangular, an ingenious feat that was the culmination of years of deliberation and heralded a new era in watchmaking. The seamless blending of the case and lugs on the “Tank Normale” signalled a unique stylistic leap forward within the field. The story goes that Louis Cartier himself modelled the design of the Tank watch on the top view of a tank: the brancards evoked the treads and the case represented the cockpit of the vehicle. The prototype of the Tank watch was designed in 1917 as WWI raged, and presented in peace- time as a gift to General John Pershing, Commander of the American Expeditionary Force in Europe. The strength of the design lay in its dramatic break with the elaborate curves fashionable at the time, and the exercise of restraint in its form. It was an instant hit, and herald of the pared-down trend: clean, crisp lines and defined shapes. The concurrent release of a jewellery version confirmed the Tank’s trailblazing credentials for both a male and female clientele, proving that freedom and elegance have no gender. Production proper of the Tank would not begin until 1919, when six models were manufactured between 15 November and 26 December; all six were sold by 17 January the following year. --- 1919 TANK LOUIS CARTIER --- 
Pictured here is the newest extra flat LC Tank XL, from the 2012 collection, currently the thinnest watch in the collection. Mechanical 430MC movement The Tank Louis Cartier was an unapologetic choice of the rectangular form. The watch is distinguished by soft angles and the distinct roundness of the tops of the lugs. This piece fastidiously embodies the marked contribution made by Louis Cartier to the modern style later known as Art Deco: the proud, taught lines of the square and rectangle are softened, and the geometry of corners is relaxed. 
The actor Clark Gable wears a Tank watch. 1948. Obligatory credits: With permission of the Estate of Clark Gable, © MGM/Collection Sunset Boulevard --- 1921 TANK CINTRÉE --- Choosing between square and rectangle, Cartier favoured rectangle for one of its first watches, the Tank Cintrée, created in 1921. 
The actor Stewart Granger wears a gold Tank Cintrée watch. The bracelet comprises seven interlocking rows. 1954., Obligatory credits: With permission of Tracy Granger, © MGM/Collection Sunset Boulevard. 
Manufactured by Jaeger for EWC. Cartier signature under 12 o’clock. Satined gold curved case, satined and polished gold brancards. Beaded winding crown, one sapphire cabochon. Leather strap, folding buckle in yellow and pink gold. White curved dial with illuminated Arabic numerals, inner chemin-de-fer chapter ring. Luminescent skeleton-type hands. The following inscription is engraved on the underside of the case: Felix from, Fred ’29. The Tank watch bought by Fred Astaire in 1929 and has been part of the the Cartier Collection since 1988. Obligatory credits: N. Welsh, Collection Cartier © Cartier The curved form was designed to mirror the shape of the wrist. In terms of function and style, this timepiece was a precursor to the Tank Américaine watch of the 1980s. 
Design drawing for a watch created for Princess Mdivani, wife of Louis Van Allen, 1935., Obligatory credits: Cartier New York Archives © Cartier --- 1922 TANK CHINOISE --- Not for the first time – and certainly not the last – Cartier spotted inspiration in the arts of other cultures and borrowed features for use in jewelry and watchmaking. The watchmaker-jeweller was expanding its fields of interpretation and inspiration to Islamic art and India. The 1920s saw exceptionally refined objects – vanities, bracelets, powder boxes and pendants – fashioned from precious materials sourced in China and adorned with mythological motifs. 
Satined and polished gold case, polished gold brancards and horizontal bars. Beaded winding crown, one sapphire cabochon. Leather strap, ardillon buckle., Cream square dial with Roman numerals, inner chemin-de-fer chapter ring. Blued-steel Breguet hands. Obligatory credits: N. Welsh, Collection Cartier © Cartier The Tank Chinoise watch was created in 1922 at the height of this craze. The totally original form of the piece was inspired by the architecture of Chinese temple porticos. In counterpoint to the brancards, two horizontal bars straddle the watch face and slightly protrude on either side, mimicking the interplay of interlocking lintels left in full view. The balance of the forms shifts and re-centres on the square. In its devotion to clean, pared-down lines, Cartier saw geometry as intertwined with the perception of beauty. THE TOTALLY ORIGINAL FORM OF THE PIECE WAS INSPIRED BY THE ARCHITECTURE OF CHINESE TEMPLE PORTICOS 
Nécessaire case, Chinese decorative motif, Cartier Paris, 1927, Onyx, gold, platinum, sapphire and emerald cabochons. Carved emerald plasma. Round 8/8-cut and rose-cut diamonds. Sculpted carved coral, coral cabochons. Red, ivory, black, green and yellow enamel. Original design. Gold interior with a mirror and lipstick case. Obligatory credits: N. Herrmann, Cartier Collection © Cartier , --- 1928 TANK À GUICHETS --- With the advent of the train & automobile, speed was everything: the dial symbolised modernity. Louis Cartier based the aesthetic of the Tank à Guichets on a watchmaking complication, the jumping hour. In these perfectly pared-down watches, the glass, dial and hands were repla- ced by plaques pierced with apertures that displayed segments of the discs, one indicating the hours and the other minutes. 
Duke Ellington, the famous jazz musician, wears a Tank à Guichets watch. Obligatory credits: With permission of the Estate of Duke Ellington, © Collection F. Driggs/Magnum Photos Cartier played around with the layout and form of the apertures, and with the positioning (at 12 o’clock or 3 o’clock) and style of the winding mechanism: sapphire cabochon, fluted or notched and flat crown. With restraint a priority, brushed platinum or gold were generally used to give a matte appearance. 
Satined and polished gold case. Notched and flat winding crown at 12 o’clock. Leather strap, folding buckle in yellow and pink gold. Time displayed through two apertures, Arabic numerals for the hours, chemin-de-fer chapter ring with every fifth numeral in Arabic numerals., Obligatory credits: N. Welsh, Collection Cartier © Cartier --- 1932 TANK BASCULANTE --- In the design of pocket watches and wristwatches alike, watchmakers sought to protect the fragile glass component. This concern became all the more prominent in the 1930s as it became increasingly fashionable to play sports. 
Cartier signature at 12 o’clock, France at 6 o’clock. Satined and polished gold rectangular case pivoting about the 6 o’clock/12 o’clock axis within a satined and polished gold frame. Notched and flat, winding crown at 12 o’clock. Hooked lugs, leather strap, folding buckle in yellow and pink gold. Rectangular grained silver dial, inner chemin-de-fer chapter ring. Blued-steel Poire hands. Obligatory credits: N. Welsh, Collection Cartier © Cartier The Tank Basculante watch created in 1932 featured a case that pivoted lengthwise within an articulated framework; the integrated winding mechanism was positioned at 12 o’clock. The time could be displayed or masked at leisure. 
The Tank Basculante watch incorporated a complex design, based on a series of drawings, upon a set of interlocking forms. 
The actor Gary Cooper wears a Tank Basculante watch. Circa 1940. Obligatory credits: With permission of Maria Cooper Janis, © Rue des Archives/RDA ---- TANK ASYMÉTRIQUE (1936) --- The Tank Asymétrique watch turned the aesthetic of the early days of watchmaking on its head. The entire balance of the watch was shifted, with 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock moving into the corners and the winding mechanism placed at 2 o’clock. The watch may be taken to express the contradictions of an era, its aspirations for change or its rebellion against set rules. The 1963 version was named the Tank Oblique. 
Tank Oblique wristwatch, Cartier London, 1963. Satined and polished gold case. Octagonal winding crown, one faceted sapphire. Leather strap, folding buckle in yellow and pink gold. Cream-coloured lozenge dial, rotated 45 degrees, with alternating Arabic numerals. Blued-steel bâton hands. Obligatory credits: N. Welsh, Collection Cartier © Cartier 
A re-release of a Tank Asymetrique in 2006, limited to 150pc in yellow gold, mechanical hand wound movement, caliber 9770 MC, solid back and Breguet styled hands. 1940 The Tank watch acquired a prime position on the international stage with the growing influence of the silver screen in the 1940s. Countless actors, writers and artists chose to wear this watch, each in their own individual fashion, in a show of perfect elegance. --- 1952 TANK RECTANGLE (BROAD MODEL) --- 
Manufactured by Jaeger. Cartier signature under 12 o’clock, Swiss Made under 6 o’clock. Satined and polished gold case, polished gold brancards. Octagonal winding crown, one faceted sapphire. Leather strap, folding buckle in yellow and pink gold. Rectangular satined gold dial with Roman numerals, inner chemin-de-fer chapter ring. Gold-plated bâton hands. Obligatory credits: N. Welsh, Collection Cartier © Cartier The Tank Rectangle (broad model) brought opulence to the 1950s in no uncertain terms. The generous forms of the watch, boasting a gold dial to match the gold case, manifest an unapologetically classic style. --- 1960 MINI TANK ALLONGÉE --- 
Cartier signature at 12 o’clock, London under 6 o’clock. Satined and polished gold case, polished gold bran cards. Beaded winding crown, one sapphire cabochon. Leather strap, ardillon buckle. Cream rectangular dial with Roman numerals. Blued-steel bâton hands. Archived at Cartier under the name Elongated JJC Tank; JJC are the initials of Jean-Jacques Cartier, son of Jacques Cartier. Obligatory credits: E. Sauvage © Cartier The Tank watch underwent a makeover in the 1960s and was given smaller, feminine cases. The dainty Tank Allongée took pride of place, and the range expanded to include the Mini Tank Louis Cartier. The brancards of the small Tank Allongée and Mini Tank were set with diamonds, honoring the jewelry variations embarked upon by Louis Cartier in the 1920s. --- 1977 TANK MUST DE CARTIER VERMILION AND BURGUNDY DIAL --- The 1970s saw Cartier infuse its timepiece collection with modernity and elegance. 
Must de Cartier signature at 12 o’clock, intertwined double C and Swiss at 6 o’clock. Satined and polished vermilion case, polished vermilion brancards. Beaded winding crown, one blue spinel cabochon, folding buckle. Rectangular coral-coloured lacquer dial. Gold bâton hands. In 1972, the spotlight was placed on the Louis Cartier range with new solid gold watches fitted with leather straps. In 1977, at the height of Must de Cartier period, a new collection of vermilion watches paid tribute to the form of the Tank Louis Cartier. Solid dials stripped of numerals were steeped in understated tones, evoking the precious materials of the world of jewelry: onyx, coral, ivory, lapis lazuli, tortoises hell and garnet. Yet in spite of these exciting new choices of colors and materials, these pieces remained faithful to the spirit of the Tank Louis Cartier watch. In a final flourish of glittering refinement, the crown was adorned with a sapphire cabochon. An instant hit all over the world, this collection enjoyed unrivaled success. --- 1989 TANK AMERICAINE --- Designed in 1987 and launched in 1989, the Tank Américaine watch followed in the footsteps of the Tank Cintrée, borrowing its curved case while updating the design with a more compact rectangular form and rounded brancards. 
Cartier signature under 12 o’clock, Swiss under 6 o’clock. Curved satined gold case, satined and polished gold brancards, water-resistant to 30 metres. Octagonal winding crown, one faceted sapphire. Leather strap, ardillon buckle., White curved rectangular dial with Roman numerals, Cartier secret signature hidden in one stroke of the VII, inner chemin-de-fer chapter ring. Blued-steel bâton hands. Obligatory credits: N. Welsh, Collection Cartier © Cartier A wonder of watchmaking craft and style, this watch takes a playful approach to geometry, alternately decisive and gentle, with straight lines and curves, round edges and angles. The Tank Américaine was the first Cartier watch to offer a curved water-resistant case. 
The shape of the Tank Americaine case was adapted from the early Tank Cintrée and became bolder and more solid now. This solid, generous watch is unapologetically beautiful. Another feature was the new folding buckle that allowed the strap length to be precisely adjusted to the wrist size, replacing the mechanism employed by Cartier since 1910. The power and elegance of its elongated, slightly arched form made this watch a classic. In its display of strength, the piece may be considered a tribute to the Tank watch presented to General Pershing. --- 1996 TANK FRANÇAISE --- The Tank Française watch, launched in 1996, updated the classic Tank legacy of the parallel-set lateral brancards, Roman numeral dial, chemin-de-fer chapter ring, bâton hands, and a fluted winding crown decorated with a sapphire cabochon. 
Tank Française wristwatch, small model, Cartier, 1995, Cartier signature under 12 o’clock, Swiss Made under 6 o’clock. Curved satined and polished gold case, polished gold brancards, water-resistant to 30 metres. Octagonal winding crown, one sapphire cabochon. Polished gold chain-link bracelet, triple folding buckle in yellow and pink gold. Square grained silver dial with Roman numerals, Cartier secret signature hidden in one stroke of the X, inner chemin-de-fer chapter ring. Blued-steel bâton hands. Obligatory credits: N. Welsh, Collection Cartier © Cartier In a bold departure, the curved case was set in a chain-link bracelet. Featuring bevelled brancards, concave curved links and a curved form, the case and bracelet blend into a single continuous entity, seamlessly merging line, volume and material. The chosen finishes toughen the lines of the watch, creating an all-new Tank. 
The Tank watch by Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, "If every tank was made by Cartier we would have time to live in peace!" The couturier Jean-Charles de Castelbajac pays his tribute to the Tank watch. Le Figaro Madame, 1994. Obligatory credits: With permission of Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, © J. C. de Castelbajac, 2011, ProLitteris, Zurich The shape and corrugated edges of the bracelet recall the design of the treads of armored tanks. As functional as it was stylish, boasting seamless lines, this archetypal wristwatch was a true feat of design. --- 2003 TANK DIVAN --- 
Tank Divan, large model, Cartier 2003, Case in 18-carat yellow gold. Facetted crown in yellow gold with sapphire cabochon. Matte brown alligator-skin strap. Ardillon buckle in yellow gold. Guilloché dial with Roman numerals. Blued-steel bâton hands. Scratch-proof sapphire crystal. Water-resistance: 30 metres / 100 feet / 3 bars. Self-winding movement, calibre Cartier 120, hours, minutes and seconds functions. Obligatory credits: J.L Drigout © Cartier. The Tank Divan launched in 2003, lived a pretty short life, compared to the other Tank models. Personally I like the Divan a lot, but when it was released, the trend for 'larger watches' was coming up and I am afraid that the Divan suffered from a too small case, at the time of introduction. The watch was released with an automatic movement, while the smaller model had a quartz Swiss movement. But the Tank story will never stop and we are very close to a new release of a new Tank in June!!! The Tank Anglaise will soon join the Tank Americaine and Tank Francaise and become one of the major pieces in the Tank collection! --- 2012 TANK ANGLAISE--- 
Case in 18-carat rhodium-plated white gold. Case dimensions: width: 36.2 mm; height: 47 mm; thickness: 9.82 mm, Flinqué dial, lacquered silver. Glass: sapphire. Water-resistance: 30 metres / 100 feet / 3 bars. Bracelet in 18-carat rhodium-plated white gold. Clasp in 18-carat rhodium-plated white gold. Self-winding manufacture mechanical movement, calibre 1904 MC! Obligatory credits: Vincent Wulveryck © Cartier 2011 The Tank Anglaise will be Cartier's new watch to keep an eye on! In June the watch will be released in three sizes and all in yellow-, white- or pink gold with gold bracelet. Diamonds versions are available in all three sizes. The largest model is pictured above. Cartier's CEO, Mr Bernard Fornas has been seen at public presentations wearing the large size on leather strap, so the release of this model, might be planned at the end of 2012. *Gertrude Stein 
GEO CARTIER forum moderator ----------------------------------------------------- [www.troisanneaux.com]
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