Chic Lines: Cartier’s latest reinvention of the Tank
Sometimes good timing is not just about going full circle but following uncompromising lines—case in point: the 2021 Tank Must and Tank Louis Cartier wristwatches.
Embodying Cartier elegance, the pure and precise Tank watch was created in 1917 by Louis Cartier. Its rectangular form was considered avant-garde versus the typical round silhouette of timepieces then, and its graphic lines remain no less revolutionary today.
It may be a surprise to discover that the Tank was inspired by a military vehicle—where the two parallel brancards and case referenced the treads and turret respectively. Looking as modern, relevant and gender neutral in 2021 as it did more than a century ago, the Tank was fused with another Maison icon from the ’70s, Les Must.
Pierre Rainero, Director of Image, Style and Heritage, describes, “Today, the Must are part of the Maison’s heritage. Exhibited for a select few at museum institutions as part of the Cartier Ancient Items Collection, they have become Maison legends. Seen as the status symbol of the ’80s, they have stood the test of time thanks to their style as well as their excellent craftsmanship, which Cartier applies to all its creations down to the smallest detail.”
When it was first launched, the design of the Tank Must borrowed directly from that of the Tank Louis Cartier, staying true to the historic model. The 2021 Tank Must’s rounded brancards and revisited dial proportions are guided by a return to the smallest detail of its great classicism and sophistication—seen in the pearled cabochon winding crown and traditional ardillon buckle of the leather strap.
Executed in steel with Roman numerals, leather strap and choice of diamond embellishment, these models are driven by mechanical or quartz movements. The new Tank Must, in exemplifying the Cartier philosophy of ever-evolving in design and movement, also boasts an entirely redesigned and interchangeable steel bracelet with curved links.
More variants are in store for the new Tank Must that pay homage to its 1980s spirit. They are expressed in three monochromatic hues derived from the Cartier DNA: red, blue and green, and realised in steel cases with minimalist dials sans Roman numerals and “rail-tracks” for a fully chromatic look with matching straps.
Perfectly in tune with the sustainability-conscious generation is an original Tank Must iteration, powered by a new SolarBeatTM photovoltaic movement with more than 16-year battery life, and replete with non-animal strap.
A confluence between modernity and tradition, the Cartier Manufacture at La Chaux-de-Fonds rises to its repute as a research hub, and a creative and innovative laboratory in applying the photovoltaic principle to the Tank Must watch’s dial without transforming its aesthetic at all.
The delicate and invisible perforations of the Roman numerals act as openings for solar energy to reach the photovoltaic cells hidden under the dial—a technical feat taking two years in development. The watch’s pioneering sensibility also extends to the quality and comfortable strap composed of around 40% plant matter, using mainly waste from apples grown for the food industry in Switzerland, Germany and Italy.
Last but not least, capping off the Tank’s 2021 tour de force is a subtly nuanced refresh of the legendary Tank Louis Cartier. Redesigned as early as 1922 post its 1917 debut, this classic is credited for laying the foundations for the Maison’s signature watchmaking aesthetic.
The new Tank Louis Cartier, powered by a Manufacture 1917 MC movement with manual winding, renders two precious versions: intense red dial in yellow gold and bright blue dial in pink gold, complete with coordinating straps, Roman numerals and gold-coloured “rail tracks” to enhance its vivid impact.
