Cartier Tank Guide: Watches and Pieces Worth Knowing

Cartier Tank Guide: Watches and Pieces Worth Knowing

The Cartier Tank is one of the most recognizable watch shapes in the world. This guide gathers Cartier Tank watches and Tank-family pieces in the smaller sizes, from new styles to pre-owned finds. Pick a shape first and then a metal and strap that suit you.

The Cartier Tank, in every shape

Louis Cartier created the first Tank in 1917, inspired by the Renault tanks he saw on the Western Front, and it first appeared in the windows of Cartier in Paris in 1919. The Cartier Tank has barely changed since, with its rectangular case and Roman numeral dial. This guide gathers the Tank in the smaller sizes so you can compare the models.

 

The first grid is the Tank Louis Cartier in its mini, small and medium cases, in yellow, rose and white gold, plus three Tank Must de Cartier watches in steel, including the SolarBeat that runs on light. I keep coming back to the Tank Louis because the case is a plain rectangle and the numerals do all the talking. Check the case size against your wrist before you look at the metal.

Cartier tank collage: Cartier

Pre-owned Tank watches

Pre-owned Tank watches open up older models and different sizes. The Tank Française came in 1996 and is the one on a metal bracelet, so it reads sportier than the leather strap Louis. Here it shows up in steel, in steel and yellow gold, with a red dial in a limited edition, and with diamond markers. The Tank Américaine, introduced in 1989, curves around the wrist, and the pre-owned ones here include a diamond version and a yellow gold quartz.

 

The Tank Anglaise is softer and rounder, the Tank Solo is the plain steel one, and the Tank Divan and the Allongée Lanière are slimmer and more unusual. The Must de Cartier Tank on a purple dial is the playful pick, and the other Must in steel and leather with a diamond bezel is the dressier one. My tip is to look at the case size in millimetres first, then the strap, because the same Tank can look delicate or substantial depending on the wrist.

Tank rings

The Tank Française ring carries the watch's brick links onto the hand, and it is a quiet way to wear a Cartier Tank. The Française comes in white gold, rose gold and small sizes, one with a diamond, and the plain white gold versions are the ones I would wear every day.

 

The gemstone Tank rings are the louder versions. The aquamarine, the amethyst and the green stone in yellow gold each take the flat top of the Tank and turn it into a block of colour. Wear one ring with a plain watch and nothing else on that hand, because the Tank shape already does the work.

Wearing a Cartier Tank every day

A Tank looks best worn often, with a simple outfit. Choose the size that sits comfortably on your wrist, and let the case, the numerals and the strap stay the only things you notice.

 

I would start with the Tank Louis Cartier in the smallest case that you can read without squinting, then add a Française on a bracelet for days when a leather strap feels too dressy. A ring from the last grid picks up the same rectangle without adding a second watch. What I would skip is stacking a Tank with a large cuff or a second watch, because the shape is so clean that anything next to it makes it look crowded. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Cartier, From the Love Bracelet to the Tank and Cartier Santos.