Manufacturer: Cartier Year: Circa 2000 Reference No: 1735B Case No: 091/170 Model Name: Tank Américaine Material: 18K yellow gold Calibre: Manual, cal. 430MC, 18 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Leather Clasp/Buckle: 18K yellow gold Cartier buckle Dimensions: 44mm Length and 26.5mm Width Signed: Case, dial, movement and buckle signed
Catalogue Essay
It is very rare for Cartier to produce a limited edition series - and when they do, it is for only a very highly limited number of watches. Together with lot 64, these two watches showcase Italian collectors' extraordinary relationship with La Maison. It is only thanks to their dedication and passion that the manufacture would produce such beautiful and unusual timepieces dedicated to the region.
Cartier has always been associated with exquisite craftsmanship and elegant designs that have for a century attracted royalty, movie stars, sports celebrities and everyday clientele. The present watch, the Tank Américaine, perfectly encapsulates the brand's ethos with its elegant curved case and brushed finishes.
Presented in excellent condition, this Tank Américaine is cased in yellow gold and displays burgundy numerals. Incredibly eye catching, elegant and striking, it was made for the Italian market in 170 examples only. To date, only a handful of examples have come back on the auction market, underscoring its rarity.
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.
