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146

Cartier

Ref. 2488

Tank Asymétrique

A highly rare and attractive platinum asymmetric wristwatch numbered 8 of a 100 pieces limited edition

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Cartier has long been at the forefront of bold, creative watch designs, with many of its early innovations becoming timeless icons. In 1996, the maison reintroduced one of its most original 1930s creations—the “Parallelogram,” later known as the Tank Asymétrique. Its tilted case and bold Arabic numerals were conceived to improve legibility while driving, a design quirk that has since become one of Cartier’s most distinctive signatures.

Produced in just 300 yellow gold and 100 platinum examples, the present watch is number 008 of the platinum edition. Elegant and unconventional, it embodies the maison’s genius for transforming avant-garde ideas into enduring classics.

Inside beats the Piaget caliber 9P2, introduced in 1952 and renowned as one of the thinnest and finest hand-wound movements ever made. At just 2 mm thick, it underscores Cartier’s ability to blend technical mastery with refined aesthetics, making this Tank Asymétrique a highly coveted modern interpretation of a historic design.

Cartier

French

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. 

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