Cartier Privé Relaunches the Tank Asymétrique

From its rich jeweller-watchmaker tradition, the French Maison Cartier has built an unrivalled legacy in creating fascinating shaped watches. Since 2017, the Cartier Privé collection highlights the design of some of the brand’s legendary models. Unlike the 1998-2008 Collection Privée Cartier Paris (a.k.a CPCP), which was characterized by strict codes (uniform guilloché dials and Roman numerals, with Cartier Paris logo and a rosette, burgundy straps, etc…), the new Cartier Privé collection leaves more scope for creativity and variations. After the Crash, the Tank Cintrée and the Tonneau, it is time for the Tank Asymétrique to be reinterpreted.

The 1930s were a period of intense creativity for Cartier. With Art Deco, wristwatches came in a multitude of geometric forms. The iconic Tank theme underwent numerous variations. Among these, the unapologetically elegant Tank Asymétrique, which was known at the time as the Parallélogramme or Losange. Created in 1936, the model stands out with its original tilted rectangular case. To recreate the 2020 Tank Asymétrique, Cartier took inspiration from the original 1936 model with its distinctive triple-lug construction. With it, the rectangle became a lozenge and everything on the dial was shifted 30°. Instead of the signature Roman numerals, it features Arabic numerals separated by baton-style hour markers.

The Cartier Privé Tank Asymétrique

The 2020 version of the Cartier Privé Tank Asymétrique comes in a 47.15mm x 26.2mm case. The watch is available in pink gold with a grey dial and strap, in yellow gold with a champagne dial and brown strap, and in platinum with a silver-coloured dial, ruby cabochon and grey strap. Inside is the calibre 1917 MC, a thin and shaped hand-wound movement operating at 21,600 vibrations/hours with 38 hours of power reserve. Each version is produced in a limited edition of 100 watches.

Quick facts: Cartier Privé Tank Asymétrique – platinum, pink or yellow gold case – 47.15mm x 26.2mm x 6.38mm – hand-wound calibre 1917 MC – 16 mm x 12.95mm x 2.9mm, 21,600vph, 38h power reserve, 19 jewels – alligator leather strap on pin buckle – USD 26,400 (yellow and rose gold), USD 30,100 (platinum) – limited to 100 pieces per model

The Cartier Privé Tank Asymétrique Skeleton

In addition to these three classic Cartier Privé Tank Asymétrique, the new collection also comprises three 100-piece limited editions in diamond-set platinum, platinum and pink gold, which are fitted with a skeletonized movement, the calibre 9623 MC. Built around the Arabic numerals 12 and 6, its architecture reveals its inner workings in full transparency. Specifically developed for the watch, it is 32mm x 21.1mm, runs at 4Hz and boasts 48 hours of power reserve. The numerals and indexes are filled with blue lacquer.

Quick facts: Cartier Privé Tank Asymétrique Skeleton – diamond-set platinum, platinum or pink gold case – 47.15mm x 26.2mm x 7.82mm – hand-wound calibre 9623 MC – 32mm x 21.1mm x 4.2mm, 28,800vph, 48h power reserve, 22 jewels – alligator leather strap on pin buckle – Price to be confirmed – limited to 100 pieces per model

For more information visit www.cartier.com.