Cartier Tank Watch Fun Facts
History of the Cartier Tank Watch
2017 marks the Cartier Tank Watch’s 100th Birthday!
Louis Cartier designed the prototype in 1917 and the first Tank watch went on sale in 1919. This marked the year the U.S. entered WWI and the year the war ended. The watch design was military tank-inspired. This inspiration is evident in the case which resembled the tank’s cockpit. The vertical bars on each side of the case resembled tank treads. The simple, geometric design differed from the Art Nouveau trend that was popular at the time. The clean lines were deemed androgynous. This innovative design was ahead of it’s time and defined a new Modern. The original Tank design was perfectly suited to artful revision. This unique styling has kept the Tank modern throughout it’s history which has resulted in many trendsetting new interpretations. Variations on the original Tank design include:
- 1921 Cintree, curved
- 1922 Louis Cartier, rounded
- 1931 Etanche, water-resistant
- 1996 Francaise, metal bracelet
- 2009 Americaine, in-house caliber movement
- 2012 Folle, surrealistic and jeweled
- 2017 Limited Edition Tank Cintree Skeleton
- 2017, 11 new models based on the Francaise, Americaine and Louis Cartier Tank families
The Cartier Tank watch has been a favorite among the Who’s Who of every generation. Famous wearers include fashion icons, designers, celebrities, entertainers and scions of industry. Noteworthy collectors include:
- Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Diana Princess of Wales
- Yves Saint Laurent, Calvin Klein
- Claudia Schiffer, Patti Smith, Kim Kardashian, Andy Warhol
- Frank Sinatra, Clark Gable, Rudolph Valentino, Cary Grant, Bob Hope, Duke Ellington
- Marcello Mastroianni, Sofia Coppola, Nicolas Godin
- Wm. Randolph Hearst, the Rothschild family, General John Pershing
Forbes curated it’s own history of the Iconic Cartier Tank Watch. See what Forbes has to say here!
Verma Jewelry Group, Atlanta’s own Luxury Watch Specialists, just added these Iconic Cartier Tank Watches to our own Collection:
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