Lot 460

Cartier à Paris, "Tank L. C.", Movement No. 4143, Case No. 960100880, Cal. Piguet 96, 24 x 30 mm, circa 1980
An elegant and thin vintage wristwatch
Case: 18k gold, crown set with sapphire cabochon, 14k gold bracelet. Dial: white.
This elegant timepiece has all the typical style elements of Cartier’s famous "Tank" watch: a square case with the bracelet seamlessly integrating into it, Roman numerals on the dial and a crown with a single blue sapphire.
The "Tank" was designed in 1917 by Louis Cartier and is the brand’s most famous model even today. Both name and design of the watch pay homage to the British Renault FT-17 tank used in the First World War, which was considered state-of-the-art at the time.
The clear lines of the watch were inspired by the modern design of the Renault - Cartier turned their back on the ornamental style that was popular at the time and the first "Tank" was launched in 1919. In the early 1920s the watch was already regarded as a sophisticated yet robust timepiece suitable for both men and women; with many celebrity fans such as Jacqueline Kennedy and Andy Warhol its popularity never ever dwindled over the years.

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