Cartier Tank Américaine Small

Cartier has never been particularly interested in following the rules of conventional watchmaking. From the Santos to the Tank, the maison’s greatest successes have come from treating the wristwatch as an exercise in design rather than simply a means of telling time. Introduced in 1989, the Tank Américaine was a continuation of that thinking, borrowing the elongated, curved proportions of the Tank Cintrée from 1921 and reinterpreting them for a new generation. The result was a watch that felt unmistakably Cartier, but with a slightly more contemporary attitude.

Dating to the 1990s, this small-model Tank Américaine is executed entirely in 18K white gold, including its beautifully articulated multi-link bracelet. The elongated rectangular case features the collection’s distinctive curved profile, with generously proportioned brancards that give the watch an almost sculptural quality. The silver-toned dial is pure Cartier: oversized black Roman numerals, an inner railroad-track minute track, and blued-steel sword-shaped hands. A blue cabochon crown provides the finishing touch. There’s nothing particularly complicated about the design, but the proportions and subtle interplay of polished and brushed surfaces make it considerably more interesting than a conventional rectangular dress watch.

Powered by a quartz movement, this example is particularly appealing for its integrated white-gold bracelet, which transforms the Américaine into something that sits comfortably between a wristwatch and jewelry. There’s a certain late-1980s and early-1990s confidence to the combination, when precious-metal watches were as much about personal style as traditional horology. 

The Tank Américaine has never quite enjoyed the universal recognition of the Tank Louis Cartier, which is perhaps part of its appeal. It takes one of watchmaking’s most familiar designs, stretches the proportions, softens the geometry, and arrives somewhere altogether different. More architectural than ornamental, it’s a reminder that Cartier’s greatest complication has always been design itself.

Despite being a purveyor of haute joaillerie, Cartier has had a long tradition of making watches.

It started in 1907, when founder Louis Cartier made what was one of the first wristwatches for his friend Alberto Santos-Dumont. In the following years, the brand made a name for itself with its most famous wristwatch, the Tank, in all its multitudinous forms.

Cartier introduced the Tank in 1917 — which was supposedly inspired by the Renault FT-17 tanks seen on the battlefields of World War I — with a run of six pieces. (According to legend, these were given to American General John J. Pershing and his staff.) Cartier took the look of the Renault tank's treads and applied it to the watch’s lugs, which were integrated into the case itself via brancards. That first run of six pieces increased to thirty-three by 1920, and by the end of the 20th Century, that number stood well in the hundreds of thousands. Indeed, in sheer volume alone, the Tank — in all its various models — is Cartier's largest line of watches.

The Tank Louis was introduced in 1922, followed close on the heels of the Asian-influenced Tank Chinoise. The Chinoise, released amid a mania for jewelry inspired by the Orient, has a square rather than rectangular case and lugs resembling the portico of a Chinese pagoda.

From its debut, the Tank would see many variations, each in keeping with Louis Cartier’s taste for clean lines and perfect symmetry. Each variant — from the original Tank to the Tank Louis to the Cintrée with its flirtatious, curvaceous lines — has its passionate devotees. Rudolph Valentino, that sensual star of the silver screen, insisted on wearing his Tank onscreen in The Son of the Sheik, and Clark Gable, Andy Warhol, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis were among those who sported a one throughout the years.

Other model lines, including the Santos (based upon the original model crafted for Alberto Santos-Dumont) and the Pasha, have developed devoted followers. Indeed, the maison is unique as one of the few jewelry brands to elicit as much passion from collectors as dedicated watch companies.

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Condition

Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.

Warranty

We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a two-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.

Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.

We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.

Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.

We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.