{"id":1776,"date":"2018-03-22T04:40:50","date_gmt":"2018-03-22T04:40:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swisswatchexpo.com\/TheWatchClub\/?p=1776"},"modified":"2025-08-17T02:42:44","modified_gmt":"2025-08-17T02:42:44","slug":"cartier-tank-great-history-famous-fans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swisswatchexpo.com\/thewatchclub\/2018\/03\/22\/cartier-tank-great-history-famous-fans\/","title":{"rendered":"Cartier Tank: Great History, Famous Fans"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

Created 100 years ago in 1917, the Cartier Tank\u2019s classic design has remained practically intact for an entire century. Somewhere between a rectangle and square, almost aggressively spare yet very refined, the ambiguity of the Cartier Tank endeared it to both men and women and earned it a reputation as\u00a0the\u00a0<\/em>watch to wear of the 20th<\/sup>\u00a0Century.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a look at key moments in the Tank\u2019s illustrious history, and the royalty, leaders and influential men and women who vouch for this icon.<\/p>\n

br<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\"Cartier<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n
1904\u00a0<\/strong>The Wristwatch<\/span>
\nLouis Cartier creates a watch for his friend, pilot and millionaire Alberto Santos-Dumont. Santos-Dumont wanted a watch he can wear while flying, and this collaboration gave birth to one of the first wristwatches ever \u2013 the Cartier Santos<\/a>. Louis Cartier saw this as an opportunity to market the wristwatch as a male accessory.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

br<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\"1916\u00a0Combat<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n
1916\u00a0<\/strong>Combat Tanks<\/span>
\nAfter the Battle of the Somme in 1916, the public was given a glimpse of the armored tank which was until then a top-secret military weapon. So impressed was Louis Cartier by the rigorous geometric design of France\u2019s Renault combat tanks that he made it the inspiration for his new line of watches.<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

br<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\"Cartier<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n
1917 \u2013 1920\u00a0<\/strong>Metamorphoses<\/span>
\nLouis Cartier finishes the original Tank watch, the Normale. It was an exercise in restraint \u2013 modern, streamlined and with a brushed platinum case. As it was designed during the war, they waited until the end of hostilities in 1919 to launch it. The Tank began its metamorphoses with the\u00a0Tank Cintr\u00e9e<\/strong><\/em>, a more curvaceous watch, then followed by the\u00a0Tank Chinoise<\/strong><\/em>, which was inspired by the chinoiserie trend of the decade.<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

br<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\"Cartier<\/a>br<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n
1922\u00a0<\/strong>Tank Louis Cartier<\/span>
\nThe new models were\u00a0closely followed by the Cartier Tank Louis<\/a> in 1922, the personal wristwatch of Louis Cartier, and the watch\u00a0that set the standard for all succeeding Tank watches.<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

br<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\"1926\u00a0On<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n
1926\u00a0<\/strong>On the Silver Screen<\/span>
\nThe Tank makes its first appearance on the big screen. Rudolph Valentino starred in the movie\u00a0The Son of the Sheik,<\/em>\u00a0and insisted on wearing his Tank wristwatch while filming. The cultural discrepancy with the Middle Eastern props and set\u00a0and his Tank watch made it stand out.<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

br<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\"1928<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n
1928 – 1940’s\u00a0<\/strong>End of an Era<\/span>
\nCartier would come up with futuristic and unusual designs for the Tank. The\u00a0Tank \u00e0 Guichet\u00a0<\/em>(1928) and the\u00a0Tank Basculante<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>(1932).\u00a0<\/em>Both watches would rarely be seen again.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Following the death of Louis Cartier and his brother Jacques in 1942, the golden age of the Cartier family would come to an end. Their New York and London companies were sold off to investors.<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

br<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Princess Diana: From “country bumpkin” to fashion icon https:\/\/t.co\/ZsXXQSpRXl<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/uURcbsbKAE<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 CNN International (@cnni) August 30, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n