Cartier Tank Basculante Mécanique

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REF 2390
Manual-winding
25.5 MM
– Show less
SKU AS09089
Article Number 40950231
ref 2390
case size 25.5 MM
movement Manual-winding
approximate age 2000s
dial color Silver
material Stainless Steel
style Dress
category Pre-Owned Contemporary
bracelet Leather
lug width 20 MM
Includes Signed black crocodile strap with signed stainless steel 'Ardillon' pin buckle.
overall condition The case is in outstanding condition overall showing only signs of wear from gentle use. Satin silver dial with printed black ‘Roman’ indices is in as-new condition with matching blued-steel 'sword' handset. Unsigned crown at 12:00.
REF 2390
Manual-winding
25.5 MM
– Show less
SKU AS09089
Article Number 40950231
ref 2390
case size 25.5 MM
movement Manual-winding
approximate age 2000s
dial color Silver
material Stainless Steel
style Dress
category Pre-Owned Contemporary
bracelet Leather
lug width 20 MM
Includes Signed black crocodile strap with signed stainless steel 'Ardillon' pin buckle.
overall condition The case is in outstanding condition overall showing only signs of wear from gentle use. Satin silver dial with printed black ‘Roman’ indices is in as-new condition with matching blued-steel 'sword' handset. Unsigned crown at 12:00.

Why We Love it

The famed Cartier Tank comes in all shapes and sizes, perhaps none of them as unique and compelling as the Basculante.

With its elegant guilloché dial and unique reversible case, the Tank Basculante is unique among Cartier's Tank models. Released in 1932, a year after the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso, it certainly shares design similarities with that famed watch: the case in which the dial is housed pivots inside an outer case, much like the Reverso's. However, unlike Jaeger-LeCoultre’s design, which only uses a single track, the Basculante employs a swinging frame. When deployed, the inner case looks as though it's on a seesaw. Hence the name, which comes from the French bascule, or seesaw. 

The Tank Basculante may seem a pale imitation of the Reverso, but the subtle differences set it apart. (And, to be fair, Cartier was making rectangular wristwatches before JLC.) But it's small details like the crown at 12 o'clock and the subtle guilloché of the dial (in which Cartier's hidden their signature inside the Roman numeral at 7 o'clock) that make the Basculante truly original. Unfortunately, even though Cartier released the Basculante within the famed Collection Privée, it spawned an independent collection, and was discontinued sometime in the last decade.

This particular Basculante is a Mecanique version, powered by the Calibre 610 hand-wound movement. Its 25.5mm stainless steel case — which is well sized for both men and women, by the way — is in excellent condition, as is its white guilloché dial with Roman numerals and elegant leaf-shaped, blued steel hour and minute hands. The hinged reversing mechanism and cabochon-encrusted pull tab are likewise in excellent condition.

Going with a Tank is always a formula for dress watch success — but choosing the Basculante, with its unique reversible design, signals a particularly refined level of taste.

Brand Story

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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 via brancards into the case itself. 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 amidst a mania for jewelry inspired by the Orient, has a square rather than rectangular case and lugs that resemble 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.

A:S Guarantee

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Our Pledge

Analog:Shift stands behind the authenticity of our products in perpetuity.

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 one-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

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

Shipping & Returns

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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.

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Cartier Tank Basculante Mécanique

Cartier Tank Basculante Mécanique

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Cartier Tank Basculante Mécanique

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