Timeless Timepiece: Cartier Tank Watch

Image sources: Jackie O wearing a Cartier Tank watch | Jennifer Aniston wearing a Cartier Tank Watch in “The Break-up” | Angelina Jolie wearing a Cartier Tank Watch | Princess Diana wearing a Cartier Tank Watch

I’m not sure exactly what it is but I’m always drawn more to the Tank style of watch {rectangle or square face} rather than the circular, or round faced watches. It may have something to do with symmetry, the fact that it all lines up with a sleeve and looks like a bracelet, OR the massive size of my wrists, but I’m partial to it always. This squared-off design held between two parallel brancards of the same width as the leather strap, spawned from jeweler Louis Cartier in 1919, who was of the first watchmakers to think in terms of style rather than function and workability in design. The name “Tank” was given to it later because it is said to have been inspired by a war machine & it’s industrial design. Its simple, classic, clean, straight, unadorned, classic design is timeless, thus always in style… however, very expensive.

* You can read more about the Cartier Tank Watch history here.

There are over 40 different Cartier “Tank” watch styles {on the website alone}, including metal bands and casing, diamond embezzled, etc., but I’m focusing here on the gold casing Tank with a leather strap, with sapphire crown and hands. Not shown, but the least expensive is the Black leather Cartier Tank Watch with Silver casing at $2400. In the order you see above: Black leather with Gold case Cartier Tank $4100 | My favorite, the Brown strap with gold face Cartier Louis Tank Watch $8200 and the more expensive Louis Tank watch, the Extra large pink gold, chocolate leather strap at $20,300 {the most expensive models, retail at over $55,000}.

The big round man’s style gold and silver toned watches have been trending for the last couple of years, and they’re always a stylish option, but because of it, square & rectangle cased watches are hard to come by these days. However, I feel the trend beginning to shift with designers incorporating more of this style into their new collections, like the colorful Kate Spade watches at the bottom of this post. Because Cartier’s are so expensive, and because I love vintage, I always have my eyes on a few vintage Cartier Tank auctions but here are a few new alternatives “inspired by” the Cartier Tank Watch with the top section, the most obvious copies. Many are affordable, and a few are not. {I’ve flipped the Seiko for image purposes}

1. Sartego Women’s SEN295R Toledo Leather Strap Quartz Watch $94.50
2. ESQ by Movado Men’s Gold-Plated Rectangle Case Brown Leather Watch $295
3. Seiko Women’s SXGN42 Black Leather Strap Watch $105
4. Bulova Men’s 97B41 White Dial Calendar Watch $95
5. Patek Philippe
6. French Connection Women’s Classic Square Ion-Plating Brown Leather Watch $109
7. Tiffany & Co. Leather tank watch $2200
8. Michael Kors ‘Bradley’ Leather Strap Watch $180
9. Citizen Men’s BW0072-07P Eco-Drive Gold-Tone Leather Watch $90

I have a few tank style metal watches {Burberry & D&G} and this white leather strap with gold case Kenneth Cole watch seen on my wrist below. {click here to see the full outfit post}.

Adorable Kate Spade rectangle watches $195

And that concludes your fashion -shopping, style, and history report for the day 😉 Happy Friday!