The Brief Stylistic History Of The Cartier Tank Watch

The Cartier Tank is one of the most iconic watch shapes in the world of luxury watches. It's simplistic yet elegant design hasn't changed in 102 years since its initial design by Louis Cartier. According to the company- Louis Cartier was inspired by the Renault Tanks on the Western Front during World War 1. The tread that the Renault tanks tracks created resulted in a rectangular shape in the ground- which is where Louis Cartier took his inspiration. The watch's design consists of a rectangular case in 18 karat gold or stainless steel, Cartier's signature Roman Numeral dial, and finally finished with a sapphire crown. The Tank has two types of watch movements including Quartz & Automatic movements. Quartz movement is most common in Tank watches because of the slim case design of the watch. Quartz movement is battery powered and relies on the crystal quartz of the watch face to keep time more accurately. While automatic movement relies on the mechanisms inside the watch and the movement of daily wear to keep accurate time.

The first-ever "Tank" Cartier watch ended up being gifted to US general Pershing who led an Expeditionary Force in Europe during the Great War.

Renault Tank Inspired the Rectangular Case Shape of the Cartier Tank

Following WW1, in 1919 the watch arrived in the market- selling 6 units in 1920. In addition to its commercial availability- the first Tank watch was given the name- Tank Normale. Over the years Cartier introduced many variations of the Tank including the Cintrée, Américaine, Française, Anglaise, and the Tank Louis Cartier. While the Américaine is my second favorite Tank variation, the Normale has stood the test of time and has made an unparalleled impact in the world of luxury watches.

The Tank began to take hold as a classic & elegant timepiece in the world of fashion, television, and other pop culture titans throughout the decades since its introduction. Most notably, Andy Warhol began wearing his Gold Tank with a black alligator strap in the 1970s. When asked about his (Tank) watch, Warhol famously 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 (1979)!"

Many Iconic personalities have sported the tank including JFK, Truman Capote, Princess Diana, Yves Saint Laurent, Jackie Kennedy, Angelina Jolie, Tom Ford, Hedi Slimane, Jeff Goldblum, and many more.

The Cartier Tank celebrated its centennial anniversary in 2017 and continues to be a staple watch in any collection. It's simple and elegant design is understated, classic, and timeless. It can be worn in any situation- black tie events or casually with a vintage t-shirt and your favorite pair of denim. The versatility and history of the Cartier Tank have established itself as Warhol said- "...THE watch to wear!"