Synonymous with luxury and royalty since , Cartier popularised watches globally by creating its Santos model after a Brazilian pilot struggled to use his pocket watch while he was flying around the Eiffel Tower in He wanted something that could be worn on the wrist.
Cartier is one of the major players in the horology world. The long-established brand always pours investment into the beauty, functionality and technological advancements of its watches.
Many Cartier watches retain their value and several will go on to be worth more on the pre-owned market than when they were first purchased. If they are kept with their original box and documentation, this also helps with the resale value. Its watches are well known for being extravagant, unusual and robust, with collectors around the world keen to invest in the reputation.
They know that only premium materials are used and a lot of cash is invested to advance the technology, hence the prices of the timepieces. The Tank has developed a cult-like status, and is highly desirable, especially on the pre-worn market.
Louis Cartier designed and built the first ground-up wristwatch in The resulting aviation timepiece, the Cartier Santos, was finally ready for public consumption in The Tank almost single-handedly turned wrist-worn watches into a fashion trend during the roaring s, and that trend changed horology forever.
The Tank lent itself to endless riffing, and the number of Tank variants alone is mind-boggling let alone the rest of the Cartier watch catalog. Cartier continued to make handmade, high-end watches, but the brand never made movements themselves until , when they opened their stunning, ultra-modern manufacture in Switzerland. Since then, Cartier has been delighting watch fans with a bevy of gorgeous in-house watches each year. This guide will help you navigate the current Cartier watch offerings, and it should help you understand Cartier watches more generally, as well.
But Cartier watches have been unisex since before that was even a term, with the Tank leading the horological gender fluidity movement a full century before the conversation took a turn in that direction. Features include the beautifully screwed-down square bezel, the stylish rectangle case, and the shapely lugs which tormented Louis Cartier and resulted in the Tank. Today you can find both quartz and mechanical models. The two-tone gold and steel makes for a powerful nod to the s, and the general vibe of this model is very high-end.
They also release special models that include stunning complications, as in the tourbillon-equipped model seen below. Perhaps the most widely worn and celebrated dress watch of all time, the Tank — which supposedly derived its name and design inspiration from the first tanks that appeared on the battlefield in WWI — has adorned more famous wrists than we can even list, though Jackie Kennedy, her late husband JFK, Andy Warhol, and Muhammad Ali are all on there, to name a few.
The second generation of the Tank was named for Louis himself because it was his personal favorite rendition. The slight changes to the original Tank include a lovely domed crystal, narrower brancards the long sides of the watch that include the lugs , and a softening of the edges throughout the watch case. This Large model is not quite to original dimensions, so check out the medium and small if vintage vibes are a concern. Never let the width of a Tank fool you — these watches have massive wrist presence and take up considerable real estate from top to bottom, if not from side to side.
Movement: Quartz steel ; in-house mechanical with date gold. Fit and finish are surpassed by none. This mechanical Tank, which shows off Cartier's in-house manufacturing capabilities, is large and in charge. Available in steel and gold with various dial colors, the MC line remains popular with those who don't gravitate toward the smaller, vintage-styled Tank.
The MC also gets a slightly different case design, employing a slightly curved appearance to improve wear on the wrist. Let us put an end to that, with a prime example of how accessible Cartier watches can be.
The name alone will no doubt conjure up connotations of high prices and unattainability. But in this Tank Solo, complete with mechanical automatic movement, you get a gorgeous timepiece that will happily take pride of place in any well-rounded collection.
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