Cartier Tank Cintreé Skeleton

Cartier introduced the Tank in 1917, with a run of six pieces — given, or so the legend goes, to American General Joseph Pershing and his staff. 

Its design was said to be inspired by the Renault FT-17 tanks Cartier glimpsed on the battlefield of the Great War. (Cartier supposedly took the look of the Renault tank's treads and applied it to the lugs, which were integrated via brancards into the case itself.) That first run of six pieces increased to 33 by 1920, and by the end of the 20th century, that number stood well in the thousands. In sheer volume alone, the Tank — in all its various models — is Cartier's largest line of watches. 

Louis Cartier designed the Tank Cintrée in 1921 as a dedicated wristwatch during a time when such timepieces hadn’t yet eclipsed the pocket watch in popularity. With its curved shape, it cleverly echoes the design of the wrist and is exceedingly comfortable to wear — not to mention beautiful to behold! 

This particular Cintrée ref. 3974, a limited edition of 100 pieces from 2017, features a 23mm 18K rose gold curved case with a curved crystal to match, a sapphire cabochon crown, and Cartier's signature blued steel handset.

But wait, there's more... or actually, less!

Departing from the more traditional white 'Roman' dial configuration, this Cintrée features a skeletonized face, allowing the wearer to admire the beautifully finished in-house calibre in all its naked glory. The skeleton dial gives this piece a sense or lightness that is both refreshing and modern. 

Powered by the manually-wound Cartier Calibre 9917 MC, this piece comes paired to a signed brown alligator leather strap with a matching rose gold 'Ardillon' pin buckle.

Sophisticated, elegant, and rare, this is a very special Tank indeed.

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.

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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.

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

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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.

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