Cartier Tank Obus ref. 1630 2 - c. 1990

Cartier Tank: choose your side.

Description

You probably know the Cartier Tank Louis, an emblematic piece of the Cartier repertoire. The Tank Obus is one of its many variations. Square in shape, itself responding to the original model launched in the 1920s, it takes up the characteristics of the Tank Louis dial: white background, black indexes in Roman numerals, railway-shaped minute scale, blue hands and a winding crown decorated with a sapphire cabochon. With a few differences, however, because this Tank Obus features very beautiful Breguet-type blued hands.

Always borrowed from the military register, the name of the Tank Obus refers not only to assault tanks but also to the bullets (shells) evoked by its characteristic horns.

A watch from the 1990s, in 18-carat yellow gold, equipped with a quartz movement and a Cartier folding clasp, also in 18-carat yellow gold. Thanks to its white dial, it can be combined with the strap color of your choice, according to taste and the seasons.

Why did Françoise choose it?

The Tank Obus is a rare piece of crazy elegance. A piece that naturally attracts compliments. Not very common, it is unlikely that you will come across it on other wrists. This Tank Obus is truly perfect in all circumstances. A watch that we enjoy wearing and looking at, day and night.

Just like the Cartier Tonneau or the Cartier Tortue, Françoise fell in love with this unique model and can only recommend it. It is essential, both from a historical and stylistic point of view and will appeal to collectors and enthusiasts alike.

Its dimensions make it a fairly unisex watch, for her as well as for him!

History

It was in 1917 that the Tank watch, known as the Tank Normale, appeared. In honor of the heroes of the First World War, its design is inspired by the first assault tanks. Five years later, the Tank Louis Cartier was imagined, a model very similar to the first but whose dial is more elongated and the stretchers are thinner and rounded. Several generations succeed one another, retaining the same identity codes while adapting to new watchmaking technologies such as quartz. The design of the Tank Obus was born in the 1920s, inspired by that of its big sister, still with a rectangular dial but with well-defined angles, accompanied by shell-shaped horns. Later, the square dial will appear.