A new chapter for the Cartier Tank Française

Underlying the success of the Tank Française is indubitably Cartier’s intelligent design with its dual superpowers of withstanding the test of time and possessing the ability to be reinvented. One does not err in acquiring a Cartier watch, any Cartier watch, period. This best-selling Cartier timepiece and member of the Tank family has remained unchanged since it debuted with a unique metal bracelet that merged seamlessly with a slim, curved case. Despite its pleasantly modern and gender-neutral look not waning in popularity for more than 25 years, the French Maison decided the time was ripe to give the Tank Française a revamp in early 2023 with the introduction of a handful of tweaks.

The new rendition absolutely emanates a bolder, sleeker and more contemporary aesthetic. While its classic sophistication remains very much intact, replete with a twist of je ne sais quoi or French state of mind synonymous with freedom and allure, the subtle updates certainly herald a fresh-new spirit for the Tank Française.

Running through the modifications across the seven new references: small and medium variants in gold, with or without diamonds; and small, medium and large cases rendered in steel—most significant to the eye is the rounder brancards and streamlined end link joining the case to the bracelet in a single piece. Secondly, an inlaid integrated crown provides a recessed look and contoured look, plus the finshes are mainly brushed satin versus polished in the original.

Next, champagne is the hue of choice for the dial of the gold models while a silver dial decorates the steel models, all with Roman numerals in relief adorning the sunray watch face. Bracelet-wise, the new Tank Française flaunts a compact, perfectly flexible chain with a dense mesh of links that remain and move as one. Finally, all models are equipped with a quartz movement except for the large version which is driven by an automatic mechanical movement.

“The new Tank Française reflects a creative conviction. Like rediscovering the raw nature of a cut stone, it was about capturing the watch’s radical shape, simplifying its essential lines and stripping them of all embellishment to return to the myth’s origin,” says Marie-Laure Cérède, Cartier Jewellery and Watchmaking Creative Director, with poetic conviction about the merits of the French Maison’s latest Tank offering. Cérède, together with Jacqueline Karachi, the Maison’s High Jewellery Creative Director, are among the two women at the helm who are perpetuating the powerful female spirit of Cartier in the tradition of Jeanne Toussaint’s audacity and creative reign.

To celebrate the refresh as well as the enduring relevance of the Tank Française inspired by insouciant Parisian vibes is a launch campaign film directed by award-winning British director Guy Ritchie. It pays tribute to the free spirit and creativity of French New Wave cinema, and stars Belle de Jour OG herself, Catherine Deneuve and this generation’s game-changing actor Rami Malek, no less, with the City of Light in the leading role.

Captured straddling the Left Bank and the Right Bank, the video clip shines the spotlight on a heroine of the past whose presence still carries admirable weight today—a tale that runs parallel to what the Tank Française represents. The film is criss-crossed with themes redolent of chance and fate, time periods and the karmic bond between people, leaving a message that reaffirms that the embodiment of French chic is eternal in nature—timeless and steadfast even with the passing of time.