The Tank wristwatch with its elongated “Brancards”, or case sides capsuling a smaller rectangle was created by Louis Cartier in 1917 and inspired by the very first Renault tanks deployed in 1917 during World War I. Legend has it that the first examples of the Tank Watch were offered by Cartier to General John Pershing of the American Expeditionary Force and certain of his officers. The present lot is a direct descendant of the original Tank known as the Tank Americaine. It’s a noteworthy model within the Tank’s distinguished lineage since it was the very first water resistant tank watch when originally launched in 1989. With its broader, more masculine brancards, fitted with an ultra-thin Piaget-sourced caliber, the Tank Americaine is a graceful evolution of the iconic Tank that preserved its original genetic code. Number 28 of an exclusive limited edition of 30 made specially for the Italian market at the end of the 1990s, it’s fitted with an unusual dial featuring dark green Roman numerals. Complete with its original box, guarantee, certificate and purchase invoice, this connoisseur’s timepiece will no doubt impress with its immaculate, factory original condition.