The Ageless Cartier Tank Gets Reinvented Once More
The refreshed Tank Française gets its “essential lines” simplified such that the timepiece appears sleeker than ever before
Over 105 years ago, Cartier designed what would become one of the ultimate dress watches for men and women: The Cartier Tank. The enduring wristwatch style, which was inspired by the armoured vehicles of World War I, has seen many a successful iteration. Cue 1996’s sportier Tank Française — it stood out immediately when it debuted a metal chain-link bracelet, which brings to mind a military tank’s caterpillar tracks. The late Diana, Princess of Wales was one of the forward timepiece’s many famous fans — she wore her gold Tank Française for important, formal occasions.
Fast forward to 2023, the Tank Française has gotten an updated look. A defining feature of the watch has always been its rectangular case that smoothly transitions into the lugs — now, a Monobloc metal design allows the timepiece’s profile and lines to be even more seamless than before. The relaunched Tank Française is available in steel and yellow gold, and with or without diamonds.
Cartier’s Jewellery and Watchmkaing Creative Director Marie-Laure Cérède says: “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.”
