Manufacturer: Cartier Year: Circa 2002 Reference No: 2551 Movement No: No. 138 Case No: No. 138 MG Model Name: Tank à Vis Dual Time CPCP Material: 18K yellow gold Calibre: Manual, cal. 9901, 18 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Crocodile Clasp/Buckle: 18K yellow gold Cartier deployant clasp Dimensions: 28mm width x 40mm length Signed: Case, dial, movement, and clasp signed.
Catalogue Essay
The present Tank à Vis draws inspiration from one of the rarest vintage Cartier Tank references, the Tank Étanche. According to horological lore, in the 1930s, the Pasha of Marrakech ordered a water-resistant watch so that he could swim in his pool while being able to tell the time. Cartier responded by creating a three-part Tank, with an interior cover for the movement and screw-down crown. The angles of the rectangular case made this construction particularly complex, and apparently they had no energy left over for a creative name, thus the French word “étanche” translates directly to “waterproof” in English.
In the late 1990s, the Cartier Privée Collection Paris introduced a refreshed version of the Tank Étanche – the Tank à Vis. It was offered with a choice of three separate complications: time-only, wandering hours, and dual time. The present example is of the latter variation, with two dials stacked atop each other allowing for easy reading of separate time zones – a simple yet effective take on the dual-time.
Offered in excellent condition, the present watch is a wearable delight for the modern jetsetter.
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.