Cartier Tank ‘Onyx and Coral’

There are certain designs that just resonate throughout the years and remain evergreen despite changing trends and tastes.

The Cartier Tank, in all its one hundred-plus years of production, is one such design. Whether in gold (yellow, pink, or white), stainless steel, or vermeil; whether Française, Chinoise, Americaine, or Normale; the Tank by Cartier is one watch that truly deserves to be called ‘iconic.’

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. The design of the Tank was supposedly inspired by the Renault FT-17 tanks Cartier glimpsed on the battlefield of the Great War. (Cartier 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.

This particular Tank is one of the more decorated rare iterations that few have ever seen. A Reference 78227, it measures 21 x 28mm in yellow gold, with a brilliant onyx outer strip and a coral dial center. With diamond set brancards and a diamond crown, this beautiful piece is powered by a manually-wound movement, and brings the functional form of the Tank Louis to the nines. A beautiful mix of materials and winning design language, this is a stunning rare Paris Tank for the ultimate vintage Cartier lover!

What better way to break into the Cartier world than with this showstopper of a Tank?