製造商: Cartier 年份: Circa 1970s 型號: 15716 錶殼號碼: 1’200’148 型號名稱: Tank 材料: 14k gold-plated brass 機芯: Manual, cal. 2512, 17 jewels 錶帶/ 錶鏈: Leather 錶扣: 14K gold-plated brass Cartier pin buckle 尺寸: 37mm length x 27mm width 簽名: Case, dial, movement and buckle signed
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Shrouded in mystery, this rare 14K gold-plated Tank belongs to the scarcely seen “Stepped Case” series from the 1970s - a phantom of the past treasured by scholars of vintage Cartier. With its bold proportions, the watch bears a captivating wrist presence. The stepped bezel dramatically frames the handsome black dial and painted gold Roman numerals, along with sword hands that reflect a 1970s reinterpretation of the Tank's iconic codes and geometry.
Distinguished by its serial number beginning "12", this example was destined for the coveted New York (ref. 15716) boutique as the rarest and most prestigious reference of the three boutique editions – with approximately 2,500 examples produced as opposed to approximately 10,000 examples each made for the Paris (ref. 1543) and London (ref. 471) boutiques. Displaying superior quality details like the 14K gold-plated brass case, screw-down caseback, and recessed elongated crown, the New York edition truly stands apart amongst the trio.
This rare vintage reference encapsulates the creative spirit of the 70s Cartier boutiques before standardization. For scholars and collectors of Cartier's most iconic silhouettes, the present timepiece represents a stylishly retro perspective on the legendary Tank design.
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.