| Brand: | Cartier |
| Model: | Tank Obus |
| Gender: | Uni-sex |
| Year: | 1960s |
| Material: | 18kt yellow gold |
| Dial Color: | Creme white |
| Dimensions: | 32mm x 19 mm |
| Watch Movement: | manual |
| Bracelet/Strap: | leather strap with 18kt yellow gold deployment buckle |
| Box/Paper: | Handmade Leather Travel Pouch IF ordered at WRIST ICONS |
| Condition: | Excellent |
WRIST ICONS has found a really highly collectible Cartier Tank. The is a very rare execution of Tank Obus. This beautiful Cartier Tank watch has become really hard to find!!
According to the Catalogue The Magical Art of Cartier by Antiquorum of 1996, he square and rectangular Tank Obus was created in 1923, just a year after the Tank Chinoise and both of them are the most unlikely looking Tanks that Cartier ever created. This particular Tank model has only been produced in extremely limited numbers since. Unlike other watches in the Tank line, the Obus is square, not the rectangular shape that many collectors have come to expect. But the most distinctive element of this watch is the shape of the lugs, which look nothing more like tiny bullets affixed to the ends of the case.
While more recent executions of the Obus have a distinct square shape, this early model features an elegant 18k yellow gold rectangular case measuring in at 19 x 32 mm. The classic white dial sports Cartier’s iconic painted Roman numerals and elegant blued sword hands that match the sapphire-tipped crown. The ‘Paris’ signature at the six o’clock position indicates that this watch was retailed by Cartier’s flagship boutique at Paris’ Place Vendôme.
Louis Cartier designed the Tank in 1917. An Icon was born. The Cartier Tank Louis Cartier, or the LC Tank as collectors and connoisseurs like to refer to it. With its smoother and rounder lines, it followed the Tank Normale in 1919, and it was the second Tank that Cartier ever launched. It became the jewel in the crown of the entire watch collection of Cartier. So the Tank turned 100 last year. The first prototype was presented as a gift to the American general Pershing, a few years before the watch was put on the market in 1919. The design is inspired by the caterpillars of tanks.
Characteristic of the Tank is that the band starters of this watch are fully integrated in the housing, with the watch band seamlessly merging into the band starters. The design of the rectangular watch and the sleek design make this watch very popular with the unconventional customers. The Tank has certainly retained its distinctive identity over the years.
Nowadays very complicated watches are built with triple tourbillions or triple chronographs. The Tank on the other hand is not a very complicated watch. Its powers lies in its simplicity . While the Tank Louis Cartier with its mechanical or quartz time only caliber, is just a very straight forward, good looking watch. Exclusively build in precious metals and always set with a sapphire in the crown, the Tank Louis Cartier is a statement, like no other watch in the collection is. It is not only recognized by the Kings and Queens but also artists like Andy Warhol, Clarke Gable and Duke Ellington were often spotted with a Tank watch. It is also often the watch of choice by those people who prefer to have only one watch in their lives, they wear the Tank Louis Cartier day in and day out and see their Tank as part of their personality. The Tank Louis Cartier is often seen amongst industry leaders, fashion designers and in general, among people that like to dress stylish and have a certain taste for timeless objects.
In 1973 Cartier relaunched the Tank with ultra flat, Tank LC and Tank Normale versions now available as regular production pieces. And riding on the popularity of the Must de Cartier range, the Tank LC was soon seen on the wrists of everyone from Jackie Kennedy, Mohammed Ali, to Andy Warhol.
This lovely Tank Obus has just returned from a full service at Cartier. The watch comes on a black alligator leather strap with an 18k yellow gold Cartier deployant buckle.
This particular watch has been checked by our watchmaker before the sale and it keeps good time. It comes with its original box and papers. Please contact us if you would like to have a special request concerning this watch such as a service by our watchmaker.
As with all of our pre-owned watches this watch comes with a full 12 month warranty with ourselves that will be invoked from the day of purchase.