Limited-edition Tank Louis Cartier watch honours the original

Tank Louis Cartier gold watch with blue strap

Tank Louis Cartier watch, with yellow gold case and leather strap, £12,700, only available (in a numbered limited-edition collection of 100) at Watches of Switzerland UK showrooms

(Image credit: Ivona Chrzastek)

By Hannah Silver

published 10 March 2024

in Features

Launched in 1922 as a tribute to the Allied forces in Europe, the Tank Louis Cartier watch rethought the traditional aesthetic, its rectangular form standing in sharp contrast to the rounded watch dials that were prevalent at the time.

Composed of squares and rectangles, its geometrical plays gave the art deco movement a chic horological spin. Its clean lines referenced the Renault tanks on the Western Front, with the angled form reflecting a view of the tank from above, the case itself symbolising the cockpit, and the vertical edges the treads.

Louis Cartier, admiring of this elegant marriage of function and form, carried it through into his watch design. This cultural history made it a natural partner for luxury watch retailer Watches of Switzerland when it was looking to mark 100 years in the industry. Cartier has created a limited edition Tank Louis Cartier watch in tribute to its 70-year relationship with the company. Paying homage to the understated minimalism of the original, this new watch pairs a brushed gold dial with a navy alligator strap.

cartier.com

watches-of-switzerland.co.uk

A version of this article appears in the April 2024 issue of Wallpaper* available in print, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today.

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Hannah Silver is the Art, Culture, Watches & Jewellery Editor of Wallpaper*. Since joining in 2019, she has overseen offbeat design trends and in-depth profiles, and written extensively across the worlds of culture and luxury. She enjoys meeting artists and designers, viewing exhibitions and conducting interviews on her frequent travels.