Cartier Tank Louis

Close your eyes and say the words “Cartier Tank.” Odds are, an image of this watch will come to mind. This is THE classic Tank watch – the choice of everyone from Andy Warhol to Jackie O to Tyler, the Creator. Simply timeless. Also, it’s a Paris dial (which you can read more about in the “nitty gritty” below), affixed with an original 18K gold Cartier deployant clasp. Also, Alan and I personally took this into the Cartier Mansion on 57th street to fit her with a brand new brown alligator strap. She’s looking fresh and ready. All she needs is a good home to really shine. 

THE BASICS

DATE OF BIRTH: Circa 1980s

MATERIAL: 18K yellow gold on an original Cartier Deployant strap and a brand new Cartier alligator strap

SIZE: 21mm 

MOVEMENT: Manual 

CONDITION: Very good

BOX/PAPERS: Yes/no (Box is Cartier Paris) 

THE NITTY GRITTY

A solid 18K yellow gold mechanical Cartier Tank with gold deployant. Perhaps one of the most iconic watches of all time (and certainly one that has been worn by some of the most celebrated figures of the 20th Century to this current day). In fact, it feels that this special gem of watch design is actually entering into a renaissance with its desirability and collectibility – especially original mechanical examples from this era.

This watch has all the details that Cartier lovers flock to the brand for – the Roman numeral dial with the chemin de fer minute track, sword-blued steel hands and a blue bullet cabochon sapphire-set winding crown. The “Paris” signed dial is in excellent condition with no signs of crazing or damage from moisture or dirt, as can often be the case with these watches suffering from not being very tightly sealed. The case shows signs of light polishing over the years but is not over-polished, and all of the stamping and unique Cartier reference numbers are still visible on the case back, as are the hallmarks on the sides of the case.

The watch is powered by a manually wound ETA 2512 caliber mechanical movement. This seventeen jewel movement features incabloc shock protection and is a fairly rudimentary, but reliable, movement that powered the vast number of Cartier watches from the mid 1970’s to the early 1980’s.

The watch is fitted with a brand new (ordered direct from Cartier) light honey brown alligator strap, which is opened through the traditional Cartier deployant butterfly clasp on the back center, the inside of which is fully stamped with Cartier control marks and gold assay marks. 

Overall, this is a wonderful example of the classic Cartier icon. Being that this is a size that Cartier no longer offers, these examples are increasingly sought out, harder to find and escalating in price. A watch that worked for the likes of Jackie O. and Andy Wahol is one that cannot be left out of any serious watch collection.