THE JOURNAL
Clark Gable, Yves Saint Laurent and Duke Ellington. Ingrid Bergman, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassisand Angelina Jolie. The Cartier Tank’s long list of celebrity fans is testament to its enduring popularity over more than 100 years.
While the original aesthetic codes for the Tank were written in 1917, their continual reinterpretation by the brand has kept the coveted family of watches fresh and relevant to successive generations. In 1996, an entirely new iteration of the classic debuted, featuring a monobloc metal case and seamlessly integrated bracelet. Every bit as stylish and smart as the models that had gone before it, the Tank Française, in yellow-gold or steel, took the art deco Tank into the future without losing any of the family signatures. Now, 27 years later, the Française itself has been reimagined. An exercise in restraint of form, it has been given a more androgynous profile with an emphasis on unique shaping and strong lines rather than embellishment.
Introduced with a new film campaign starring Rami Malek and Catherine Deneuve, the Tank Française is cast as a symbol of unwavering elegance that bridges the decades from the 1920s to the 2020s. The new design embodies the essence of the Tank, taking all of the signature elements – the Roman numerals, chemin de fer chapter ring, sword-shaped hands and winding crown set with a sapphire cabochon – and combining them with contemporary twists within a gently curved case.
The changes are subtle, but impactful. While previous versions have been sharp and angular, the new profile articulates its unmistakeable French style in a more contemporary way. The brancards that frame the dial and continue down to act as the lugs that hold the bracelet, are more rounded, while the bracelet links themselves are concave. This not only changes the silhouette, but also means that the watch hugs the wrist.
The previously prominent crown is now integrated into the case and the bracelet links have been redesigned using more contrasting polished and brushed finishes to further accentuate the curve. The large first link that joins the bracelet to the case (where previously a three-part link had been used) makes the design more streamlined and gives the watch a sports luxe feel.
The new Tank Française transcends generations and gender and remains in Cartier’s words “the embodiment of French chic”
The past three decades have seen many versions of the Française, incorporating different metals, an array of movements, several complications and varying degrees of gem-setting and artistic decoration. Associated with many of the world’s most influential women, from Princess Diana in the 1990s to Michelle Obama in the 21st century, the new look and additional larger sized models are perfectly suited to men’s wrists – as demonstrated by the self-winding steel version worn by Malek.
The seven new references include three in steel with silver dials (quartz-powered small and medium and automatic large models) and four in yellow gold with champagne dials (quartz-powered small and medium with or without diamond accents). A watch for today, the new Tank Française transcends generations and gender and remains in Cartier’s words “the embodiment of French chic”.