The new Tank Louis Cartier with Automatic Movement

Louis Cartier’s Tank watch, introduced in 1917, marked a before and after in men’s wristwatches. Breaking with the taste for ornately decorated cases, the Tank Normale’s geometric case, inspired by an aerial view of armoured Renault tanks deployed in WW1, was a precursor of the clean minimalist lines of Art Deco. Thanks to its well-executed and disarmingly simple design, the Tank Normale proved incredibly versatile, spawning a legion of Tanks, including the 1922 Tank Louis Cartier. Also known as the Tank LC, it was a larger edition with a more pronounced rectangular profile and masculine personality. Today, Cartier releases a new Tank Louis Cartier Automatic with more generous dimensions in pink and yellow gold cases, powered by the brand’s automatic Calibre 1899 MC.

Taking the elemental features of a Renault tank and adapting them to a wristwatch was, in retrospect, a stroke of genius. The tank tread of the armoured vehicle became the lateral brancards or sides of the watch that transition into the lugs, and the raised cabin was the case. A classic to the core, the Tank LC is probably the most recognisable watch in Cartier’s repertoire. Many of the characteristics that still define the Tank today – Roman numerals, railway minutes track, blued steel hands, beaded winding crown with a cabochon (sapphire or ruby, depending on the case material) – were established with the first Tank watch.

The new Tank Louis Cartier Automatic is available in 18k yellow or rose gold cases with a 38.1mm diameter and a thickness of 8.18mm, still attractively thin despite the presence of an automatic movement – before this release, the largest Tank LC is the 33.7mm model with a thickness of 6.6mm powered by a manual-winding movement. The rounded parallel brancards are polished, while the case and slim bezel feature a matte satin-brushed finish.

The attractive flinqué dial features stamped rays emanating from the centre and increasing gradually in size to the periphery. Classical black painted Roman numerals, with Cartier’s signature on the VII and the crisp, railway minutes track are signature Tank LC features, along with the blued-steel, sword-shaped hands. A mineral glass protects the dial.

Looking at the current collection, the Tank Louis Cartier mostly keeps a slim waistline thanks to its manual-winding or quartz-powered movements. That being said, automatic versions of the Tank LC have existed in the past, such as the rare Tank Louis Cartier Jumbo of 1974, powered by an ETA movement and relying on a bubble back to hide some of the added thickness. As the inscription on the dial indicates, the new Tank Louis Cartier Automatic models are powered by a self-winding movement, namely the Calibre 1899 MC, a slim manufacture automatic movement designed to fit inside the Tank Américaine. Measuring 9mm x 3.63mm, it operates at 28,800vph and delivers a power reserve of 40 hours.

The yellow gold Tank LC is paired with a semi-matte grey alligator leather strap, the rose gold with a semi-matte brown alligator leather strap and matching gold pin buckle. Each model retails for USD 14,900. More information at cartier.com.