Originally sold by Harrods in 1979, we have here an elegant Cartier Tank with a rather unusual burgundy red dial. The dial has aged in a really unique way and has created a spider effect, which we absolutely love! The dial is signed 'must de Cartier' at 12 o'clock and has the famous Cartier logo and 'Swiss' at 6 o'clock, along with gilt hour and minute hands, all of which create a sense of symmetry on the watch. And, of course, no Cartier would be complete without the trademark cabochon winding crown.
The vermeil case, also known as silver gilt, or gold-plated sterling silver, measures 21x29mm and is a very comfortable wear on the wrist. Inside the case is the mechanical manual wind Swiss caliber 78-1 (Eta 2512-1), fully serviced by us and running strongly. We've paired this watch on a brown, genuine crocodile strap, but it looks great on anything. The watch is the full set, too. It comes with box and papers as well as its original strap and buckle.
Extra Points
The Cartier Tank is over 100 years old and is still one of the most recognizable watch designs ever made. It was inspired by the top view of the First World War Tanks, where the tracks ran around the body of the vehicle, and during an age where machines were inspiring design everywhere through design movement including Cubism, Bauhaus and de Still. When it was first designed in 1919, the simple design followed Louis Cartier’s design codes from his earlier wristwatches; the railway-style minute tracking, Roman numerals, blue steel hands, the cabochon winding crown and, Cartier’s own invention, the deployment buckle. It was also at this time that Edmond Jaeger designed the movements, which were made by LeCoultre. In the 50 years since the first Cartier Tank was sold, only 6,000 were ever produced (6 were produced in the first year and 33 in the second), making Tanks from this age incredibly rare.
It wasn’t until 1976 that the in-house Must de Cartier Tank was launched, the first product in the in-house Must line. These Tanks were made of vermeil, or silver gilt, which is gold-plated sterling silver. This made the new line more affordable whilst still having the prestige of being made from a precious metal. Various sizes, dial colours and finishes were then produced for both men and women. The Must de Cartier line was faded out at the beginning of the 21st century.
This watch has been fully serviced by our on-site workshop and comes with our 12 month, non-waterproof service cover.
What we think
Cartier Tanks have been worn by the greats throughout its lifetime including Fred Astaire, Jackie Kennedy, Michelle Obama and Princess Diana. Andy Warhol famously said, “I don’t wear a Tank to tell the time. In fact, I never wind it. I wear a Tank because it’s the watch to wear.”
Movement : Mechanical Manual Wind Caliber 78-1 (Eta 2512-1) Age :1971/1980 Specific Age :1979 (sold in Harrods) Case Size : 21mm Case Thickness : 8mm Lug to Lug : 29mm Lugs :14mm Condition : Pre-Owned Box & Papers : Box and Papers Case Material : 18ct Gold Over Sterling Silver 925 Service History : 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty
1979 Cartier Ladies Tank Mechanical with Unique Burgundy Red Patina Dial in 925 Sterling Silver Gilt Vermeil Case with Box and Papers
