Making its important debut in 1936, the Tank Asymétrique was born amidst some of the most exciting times of watchmaking, especially for Cartier. The first half of the last century was when the Maison thrived on experimenting with exotic case designs, and the Tank Asymétrique is notably one of a handful that stood out for its distinctly distorted rectangular silhouette. The beautifully proportioned parallelogram dial design is something unique to the specific model where the time-display further complements its frame with an asymmetric layout.

In 1996, before the Collection Privée Cartier Paris (CPCP) was established, a limited run of 300 pieces in yellow gold and 100 in platinum were released with the same alternating Arabic numerals and baton indexes as the original 1936 model. Under the CPCP collection, an updated variant was introduced in 2006 with 150 pieces in yellow gold, featuring updated lugs and a guilloche dial with applied black Roman numerals.

Elegant, rare and highly coveted, the present example is part of a limited series that dropped in April 2020 via the online-only format of Watches & Wonders. Receiving much fanfare, this Tank Asymétrique release was offered in platinum, pink gold and yellow gold, like the present lot, with only 100 examples to be produced in each metal.

Boasting a luscious yellow gold case, the present Tank Asymétrique is fitted with a striking sunburst champagne dial, topped with chocolate brown Arabic numerals and a signature cabochon sapphire crown. Preserved in stunning condition and accompanied by its original accessories, this exquisite example is certainly a must-have in any collection, especially with the recent soaring craze for fancy-shaped Cartier timepieces.