The story of the Tank is well known. Like others before it, the Tank reflects Cartier’s personal preference for the clean, simple lines of the second French Neoclassicism, a forerunner of Art Deco. With the Maison’s signature avant-garde style, it consistently elevated functional pragmatism to create a new and alluring design concept. Two vertical brancards, resembling the tracks of a military tank, visually extend the sides of the rectangular case and allow the strap to connect seamlessly to the body. Its rectangular shape also marked the beginning of a new era in watch case design, which until then had been predominantly round.

Cartier wouldn’t be Cartier if the inner mechanics weren’t equally refined. The movement behind the iconic silvered dial with elongated Roman numerals was developed by the master of ultra-thin calibres, Edmond LeCoultre, with whom Cartier held an exclusive contract.