In my journey to explore the world of horology, I decided to start this series of posts to look at some iconic timepieces of our time. By doing so, I hope to create a reference for anyone reading this site, who may or may not be experts in this field, and a greater appreciation of these wonderful mechanical creation. And in case one is looking to start a watch collection, he might just find something worth consideration here.
I have chosen to start with the Cartier Tank, originally created by Louis Cartier in 1917 but little does he knew that he had created a legend – an archetype, some might even add. The first prototype was presented as a gift to General Pershing before the watch was introduced into the market in 1919. The design of the Cartier Tank was inspired by the sleek form of the Renault FT-17 war tanks used on the Western Front . Its lines and proportions are similar to those of tanks found on First World War battlefields; it is both a square and a rectangle, and its strap is seamlessly integrated into vertical sidebars called “brancards”. Countless variations of the watch have since been released by Cartier, including the Tank Louis in 1922, the Tank Americaine in 1989, and the Tank Francaise in 1996. The defining features of a tank watch include its bold roman numeral dial with a chemin de fer chapter ring, sword-shaped blued steel hands, and a sapphire cabochon surmounted crown.
The Cartier Tank is also believed to be the first timepiece conceived originally as a wristwatch with design and comfort in mind. Although, few wristwatches were created prior to the Cartier Tank, but they were nothing more than pocket watches with leather straps molded to them. However, the Cariter Tank was an expertly conceived and specially designed to look stylish and elegant on a man’s wrist.
The clean, crisp lines of the Cartier Tank have proved hugely popular with a free-spirited, elegant clientèle. It was adorned by the royalties and famous in the like of Jackie Kennedy, Harry Truman, Warren Beatty, and Cary Grant. It was the favoured timepiece of tastemakers including Hubert de Givenchy, Pierre Balmain and Yves Saint Laurent. Andy Warhol was even caught saying, “I don’t wear a Tank to tell the time… I wear a Tank because it is the watch to wear!”
Currently, the Cartier Tank is not as unique in appearance as it once was, but that is simply because the competition has had 90 years to play catch-up. When it was released, the design of the Tank was unlike anything anyone had ever seen. There were no curves on the watch at all, the face was a perfect square and the bracelet flowed into the case seamlessly. It was an ultra-modern design when new, and today it remains as fashionable as ever. The Cartier Tank will never go out of style, and that is because this is the watch that created style for timepieces.