There are a handful of watches so popular, so ubiquitous, so storied that even to those for whom the horological hobby isn’t remotely compelling, they represent well-known quantities: The Rolex Submariner dive watch, for example, or the Omega Speedmaster chronograph. Certainly the Cartier Tank is among these happy few.
Lore has it that Louis Cartier, grandson of company founder Louis-François Cartier, took inspiration for the Tank from the profile of an early Renault tank that he saw during the First World War. Adopting its profile into wristwatch form, the treads became the watch’s brancards — the sides of the case that terminate in the lugs. The flat, central expanse of the shape houses the dial, which in the Tank’s case features a plain white background, a chemin de fer (“railroad”) minute track, Roman-numeral hour indices, and a set of blued-steel, sword-shaped hands. An elegant cabochon crown and a plain leather strap complete the picture.
Simple, beautiful and inspired, the Tank debuted in 1919 in a square-dialed model that is referred to today as the “Normale.” But it was with the rectangular Tank Louis, which arrived in 1922, that the product family took on its legendary status, spawning numerous models and variations in the coming century that would cement its reputation as the prototypical dress watch for both men and women. Today, more than a century after its debut, the Tank shows no signs of being superseded by another dress watch; indeed, Cartier recently overtook Omega as the second-largest watch company worldwide after Rolex with respect to revenue.
Even with the growing popularity of its watch division across all collections — let alone the positively gargantuan size of its jewelry business — the Tank is still, by any measure, a special product. Much as is the case with the Rolex Submariner, virtually any Tank will elicit a knowing nod from a fellow watch collector. But with numerous Tank models available at any given time, a rapidly changing set of limited-edition references, and an enormous pre-owned market offering a seemingly endless variety of discontinued pieces, how does one parse such an extensive offering?
The short answer is: inexhaustively. The Tank taxonomy is simply too vast to cover every single nuance, reference and historical tidbit from over a century of production. Thus, in this guide, we’re going to focus on the models currently in Cartier’s catalog as of late 2024.
Finding the right Cartier Tank for you, and a word on sizing
When searching for the right Tank for your wrist, keep in mind that the different models are often available in several distinct sizes — small, medium, large, etc. — whose dimensions are listed on each reference’s page on the Cartier website. We would highly recommend visiting your local Cartier outpost to try on as many watches as possible, as the specifications don’t really give a fully accurate picture of how a timepiece will look and feel on the wrist.
We’ll also recommend that you keep in mind the following: The Tank is a dress watch — an elegant piece meant to be worn with a suit and tie, or even a tuxedo. Dress watches do not — should not, in our opinion — measure as large as a tool watch. Indeed, take a look at images of luminaries such as Duke Ellington, Andy Warhol or Muhammad Ali in Cartier Tank watches, and you’ll appreciate just how small — and how good — these dainty timepieces looked on the wrists of grown-ass men. Don’t spring for the large or extra-large size just because you think it’s the masculine thing to do!
Then there’s the sheer variety available across different Tank models. For the most part, a Tank is readily recognizable as such — almost all of them feature a rectangular case with a Roman-numeral dial, sword hands, a cabochon crown and a leather strap. However, there are numerous exceptions, so click on the link to each collection’s page and explore the nuances of the different designs. Maybe you’re a bracelet person, in which case a Française might be for you. Or perhaps you just like the classic Tank shape, and don’t really care about precious metals or mechanical movements — in this case, a Tank Must is perfectly adequate. There’s no right or wrong answer here.
A watch should do two things: provide the time and bring you joy. If it doesn’t do the latter, you might be in the infantry. But once you muster out, buy a Tank. One that you love.
Note: Don’t expect access to every Tank model in every Cartier boutique in every city around the world. When new collections debut, they’ll sometimes appear in certain markets but not others. Do your research, visit your local Cartier boutique and speak with the representatives there about what you’re interested in. If you’re traveling internationally, those boutiques may stock a model you didn’t have the chance to try on in the U.S.
The current Cartier Tank catalog
Tank Must/Tank Must Solarbeat
The Must, which derives its name from the Must de Cartier collection launched in the 1970s, offers a lower-cost entry point into the Tank collection while retaining the Tank Louis Cartier’s overall shape and profile. It includes stainless steel models with classic Roman-numeral dials on black leather straps or matching steel bracelets in small and large sizes, plus an extra-large size with an automatic movement and a date window. (There are also black or colored dials, and models with diamonds.) The Tank Must Solarbeat uses ambient light to charge a battery with a 16-year life.
Tank Louis Cartier
While it was actually the second model released, the Louis Cartier has become known as the most emblematic Tank in the wider collection. Available exclusively in precious metals in small and large sizes, it can be purchased with a quartz or hand-wound movement; with or without diamonds; with a classic Roman-numeral or a solid-color dial; and in editions that feature a rotating array of special configurations, such as one with a brushed gold dial in three different hues. Current editions feature either yellow or rose gold cases.
Tank Française
Introduced in 1996, the Française adds subtle twists to the classic Tank design in the form of angled lugs and a matching H-link bracelet with angled links. Currently available in small, medium and large sizes in stainless steel and yellow gold, it comes with either a quartz or an automatic movement (with date display) and either a smooth or a diamond-set bezel. Famously worn by Princess Diana, it features an octagonal crown set with a synthetic, cabochon-shaped spinel.
Tank Américaine
Launched in the late 1980s, the original Tank Américaine was quartz-powered and featured an elongated case with a curved front. However, by 1993, the maison added a large size with an automatic movement, presaging the larger collection available today: The Américaine currently comes in mini, small and large sizes with either quartz or automatic movements; its famously tall dial, meanwhile, is housed in a case fashioned from steel, yellow gold, rose gold or white gold. Both bracelets and straps are available, as are models with diamond-set bezels.
Tank Normale
The square-dialed, rectangular-cased Normale is the original Tank shape, designed in 1917 and released in 1919. Today, this watch is available as part of the brand’s Privée collection in a limited edition of 200 pieces (solid dial; platinum case); or as a limited edition of 50 pieces in yellow gold or platinum with a skeletonized dial. All three are large-size models with hand-wound movements and come paired to alligator leather straps. The platinum models feature a nice touch in the form of a ruby cabochon crown.
Tank Cintrée
The Cintrée (French for “curved”) hit the shelves in 1921 — a time when many were still skeptical of men’s wristwatches. With its long, curved case and distended dial, the Cintrée was a revelatory design that has come in and out of the Cartier catalog over the course of the past century. Today, there is precisely one Cintrée available: Housed in a platinum case measuring 23mm wide by 46mm long, it features a skeletonized, hand-wound movement that follows the curved shape of the case. A compelling riff on a classic shape, it’s still recognizable as a Tank.
Tank Jewelry Watch
The Jewelry Watch takes the Tank’s beloved rectangular profile and adds all manner of precious and semi-precious stones and metals. The results are spectacular, and currently comprise three models (the other two here and here) with bracelets and dials set with diamonds, rubies, amethyst, coral, chrysoprasus, onyx, yellow gold, white gold, rose gold…really, anything priceless and colorful. Powered by quartz movements, they exemplify the Cartier ethos of an emphasis on exquisite beauty and refined aesthetics.
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