Manufacturer: Cartier Year: 2008 Reference No: W1555851 Case No: 3078 Model Name: Tank Chronographe Monopoussoir Material: 18k white gold Calibre: Manual, 43MC Bracelet/Strap: Crocodile Clasp/Buckle: 18k white gold deployment buckle, signed Cartier Dimensions: 34mm. Wide; 42mm. Length Signed: Case, dial and movement signed Accessories: Numbered Cartier guarantee, product literature, DVD, presentation box and outer packaging.
Catalogue Essay
Cartier introduced their ‘Collection Privee, Cartier Paris,’ between 1998-2008, in recognition of the demand for vintage style models. The Tank Chronographe Monopoussoir is a wonderful modern re-edition of the original 1935 example. Though larger in size, it is remarkably truthful in regards to its dial design and case proportions. Only 100 examples of this model were ever made in white gold and the present watch is number 100 of this series. Thanks to its timeless design and contemporary finish, it is a highly popular collector’s watch of the modern era.
With the Constitution of 1848 came a new standard for luxury in France. Founded one year prior by Louis-Francois Cartier, the house of Cartier was one of the first to use platinum in jewelry making. This incredibly expensive material became the stepping-stone for Cartier to experiment in form, mechanisms and attitude. It helped men move from pocket watches to wristwatches, effectively making the watch much more functional and prominent in a man's overall wardrobe.
Cartier did not only touch on functionality. Inspired by a commissioned painting by George Barbier featuring a black panther at the feet of an elegantly bejeweled woman, Cartier began incorporating wild animals in his designs—most notably, Cartier Panthère rings, bangle bracelets and watches. Yet it wasn't until the late 1960s that the house of Cartier debuted their iconic yellow and rose gold LOVE collection, which includes the famous bracelet that only a special screwdriver can open.