Born during the throes of the First World War, the Cartier Tank has been a dress watch staple for over a century. Though it was not Cartier’s first wristwatch — that honor belongs to the Santos-Dumont from 1904 — its elegant aesthetics, beautiful dial, and restrained design have burrowed into the public consciousness like perhaps no other model in history.
A sketch of a Cartier Tank Cintrée wristwatch created in 1935 for Princess Mdivani (formerly known as Louise Van Allen) - (Image by Wristcheck)
Launched in 1921, the Tank Cintrée (from the French for “curved”) took the idea of the originally square-shaped Tank and adopted it for the curvature of the wrist. Imagine, if you will, the scene during the Roaring Twenties: The pocket watch is only just beginning to fall out of favor in the aftermath of the War — indeed, many men will continue wearing them until the 1940s. The idea of a dedicated, curved timepiece specially designed for someone to wear on his wrist is completely radical, and totally ahead of its time.
An exquisite platinum Tank Cintrée from 1925 - (Image by Christie's)
The original Cintrée design followed that of the curved Tonneau, introduced by Cartier in 1906. However, unlike that watch’s more bulbous silhouette, the Cintrée maintains straight lines along the length of its curved shape. The caseback — flat but recessed — sits flush with the case, hiding a round movement developed by Edmund Jaeger that barely clears the curved dial as it begins its bent journey around the wrist’s contours. This movement, the hand-wound Calibre 123, would form the precursor to several developed by the European Watch & Clock Company, a partnership created by Cartier and Jaeger.
The dial, given the case’s curved architecture, was also a departure from more conventional designs: Though the chemin de fer minute track and Roman numerals of the Tank Normale were present and accounted for, the latter were stretched in order to accommodate the elongated case shape, their serifs bent in certain instances to better frame the minute track. The ‘Breguet’ handset, meanwhile, lent an air of formality that makes earlier models distinctly more idiosyncratic than their ‘sword’ hands-equipped cousins. The case itself was positively enormous for the time: At 23mm in width by 44.7mm long, it positively enveloped the wrist — though its 6.7mm thickness largely diffused its otherwise significant dimensions, rendering it comfortable.
Three early Cintrée sizes as outlined by A Collected Man - (Image by A Collected Man)
Throughout the decades, the Cintrée would be made in three sizes to correspond with differently sized movements: 7 lignes, 8 lignes, and 9 lignes. (Watch movements are traditionally measured in lignes, a unit corresponding to ~2.25 mm. The larger the number of lignes, the larger the case size needed to accommodate the movement.) The largest among these, accommodating a 9-ligne movement, measured 46.5mm in length — even longer than the original, oversized Cintrée from the 1920s.
Dial and case options on the 2018 Cintrée - (Image by Horobox)
The dial design would change, too: While the original watch featured the elongated chemin de fer, ‘Roman’ numerals, and ‘Breguet’ handset, other references featured exploded ‘Arabic’ indices; or lumed 'Arabic' indices with lumed cathedral hands; or ‘Roman’ numerals with ‘sword’ hands. In 2018, an edition in three metals featured stylized ‘Arabic’ 12 and 6 o’clock indices combined with dash indices, an inner chemin de fer, and a set of ‘sword’ hands; meanwhile, dual-time and other complicated Cintrée iterations do away with the conventional dial entirely in order to accommodate their particular feature sets. Custom dials are an entirely different can of worms: Indeed, if you can dream it up — and you stand in good stead with the maison, and it approves your design — you can turn it into a watch. (Provided it’s within the confines of a model that already exists, of course.)
In more or less continuous production by all three Cartier branches (Paris, London, and New York) since the 1920s, the Tank Cintrée is beloved by collectors as one of the most refined and elegant Tank executions in the maison’s oeuvre. At Analog:Shift, we recognize this incredible model’s importance by stocking it in numerous iterations, from vintage 1960s iterations all the way through contemporary pièce unique commissions. Splendidly beautiful and sumptuous, the Cintrée has known few equals in the dress watch space during the past century; indeed, it’s poised to remain a standout model well into the future.
Cartier Tank Cintrée Watches Available at Analog:Shift
Cartier Tank Cintrée Ladies ($16,450)
Cartier Tank Cintreè Ladies - IN THE SHOP
This smaller execution from the 1970s features all the hallmarks of a classic Cintrée: Curved, precious-metal case; ‘Roman’ numeral dial with chemin de fer minute track; hand-wound, mechanical movement. Its smaller size, however, makes it perfect for a lady’s wrist, while its blued steel ‘sword’ hands give it more of a contemporary flair. Paired to a brown calf leather strap with an 18K yellow gold deployant clasp, it positively oozes elegance.
Cartier Tank Cintreé ($24,750)
Cartier Tank Cintreé - IN THE SHOP
This modern Cintrée is a gorgeous example of a contemporary twist added to a historical design: Its 23mm 18K rose gold case is paired with a stunning black dial with white ‘exploded’ Roman numerals, an inner white chemin de fer track, and a rose gold ‘sword’ handset. Given a sapphire cabochon crown and powered by the hand-wound Cartier Calibre 9780 MC, it comes paired to a signed grey alligator leather strap with a matching rose gold 'Ardillon' pin buckle.
Cartier Tank Cintreé ($24,450)
Cartier Tank Cintreé - IN THE SHOP
An 18K yellow gold cousin to the above black-dialed, modern Cintrée, this version features a champagne dial with the same feature complement: ‘exploded’ Roman numerals and an inner chemin de fer track (in black this time), plus a pair of ‘sword’ hands in blued steel. Hand-wound and beautifully sized for a man or woman, its curvaceous design and compelling mix of classic and contemporary dial features is sure to make it a future collectible.
Cartier Tank Cintrée Limited Edition ($52,850)
Cartier Tank Cintrée Limited Edition - IN THE SHOP
One of the most compelling iterations of the modern Cintrée is that featuring 12 and 6 o’clock ‘Arabic’ markers mixed with simple ‘dash’ indices. This particular Reference WGTA0027, a limited edition from the 2010s, is one such watch: Housed in a platinum case with a red ruby cabochon crown, its silver dial with blued-steel sword hands is the picture of elegant, contemporary minimalism. Hand-wound and fitted to a black leather strap, it’s the perfect timepiece to pair with formalwear for an evening of celebration.
Cartier Tank Cintrée Limited Edition ($79,850)
Cartier Tank Cintrée Limited Edition - IN THE SHOP
While most Cintrée models have white or black dials, this limited edition from the 2020s has a stunning blue fumé dial that’s sure to capture your heart. Measuring 23mm wide in platinum with a blue sapphire cabochon crown, in many ways it’s a typical Cintrée — but the dial, which subtly fades from deep blue to black around the edges, is paired with white Roman numerals, a white chemin de fer minute track, and a luminous ‘Breguet’ handset. Beautiful and rare, it’s sure to get an appreciative nod from fellow collectors.
Cartier Tank Cintrée Pièce Unique ($97,850)
Cartier Tank Cintrée Pièce Unique - IN THE SHOP
Feast your eyes on a piéce unique — a singular, one-of-one creation for a private client under Cartier’s ‘New Special Order’ program. Housed in a 23mm platinum case with a ruby cabochon crown and powered by a hand-wound movement, this example features a silvered ‘scientific’ dial inspired by a piece in the maison’s archives. With its quadrant ‘Arabic’ indices, inner rectangular minute track, and Breguet handset, it’s a brilliant take on a century-old design.
Cartier Tank Cintrée 'Jumbo' ($119,850)
Cartier Tank Cintrée 'Jumbo' - IN THE SHOP
Looking for something truly vintage? This large Cintrée in 18K yellow gold dates from the 1960s and features the hallmarks of classic Cartier creations: The chemin de fer minute track, ‘sword’ hands, and ‘exploded’ Roman numerals are all present — as is a sapphire cabochon crown — but the real magic of this example is in the dial text: It feels almost hand-written, giving the piece an exotic, hand-made feel representative of the maison’s 20th-century output. Stunning!
