The Tank is a line of watches made by Cartier. It was created by Louis Cartier in 1917, and inspired by the new Renault tanks which Cartier saw in use on the Western Front. The prototype watch was presented by Cartier to General John J. Pershing of the American Expeditionary Force.

History

The Tank was introduced in 1918, and entered full production in 1919, when six pieces were built. Its lines and proportions are similar to those of tanks used on First World War battlefields. Its strap is integrated into vertical sidebars called brancards. Since its inception, variations of the watch have been released by Cartier, including the Tank Louis in 1922, the Tank Americaine in 1989, and the Tank Française in 1996. The defining features of a Tank watch include its bold Roman numeral dial with a chemin de fer chapter ring, sword-shaped blued steel hands, and a sapphire cabochon-surmounted crown.

The Tank has become one of the most stylish, sophisticated, highly coveted and copied wristwatches of all time, and has been worn by, amongst others, Jackie Kennedy, Princess Diana, Yves Saint Laurent and Jeff Goldblum. It is generally considered to be a watch of leaders and is suitable for wearing at any occasion. In 2016, the models produced are Tank Anglaise, Tank Louis Cartier, Tank Américaine, Tank Française, Tank MC and Tank Solo, each with several variants. In 2017, for its centenary, a model is offered with an automatic movement.

The 2020s brought a surge in demand for vintage Cartier Tank models (source). These watches have demonstrated sustained popularity among celebrities and collectors alike. In the 21st century, celebrities like Michelle Obama, Angelina Jolie, Sarah Jessica Parker, Meghan Markle, and Tom Ford have been seen wearing Cartier Tank watches.

These are the key models in the Cartier Tank family:

• Tank Normale, the original model, in production on and off since 1917

• Tank Cintrée, known for its curved case to fit against the wrist

• Tank Americaine, introduced in 1989 and still in production

• Tank Anglaise, introduced in 2012 and no longer in production

• Tank Francaise, introduced in 1996

• Tank Must, introduced in the 1970s, then discontinued and reintroduced in 2021

• Tank Monopoussoir, produced from 1998 to 2008

• Tank Louis, introduced in the 1920s

• Tank Chinoise, introduced in 1922, then discontinued and reintroduced in 2022

• Tank à Guichets, the “ticket window” model, introduced in 1928 then discontinued and re-released at the 2025 Watches and Wonders event

• Tank Basculante, produced in the early 1930s and again in the 2000s

• Tank Asymétrique, produced in the 1930s and then on and off since the 1990s

• Tank MC, introduced in 2013

References

Further reading