Cartier unveiled the Tank Cintrée, an avant-garde spin-off stemming from its iconic Cartier Tank collection in 1921. This timepiece caused quite a commotion with its daring elongated design and gracefully curved case. It symbolized a paradigm shift in the perception of watches, redefining them not just as utilitarian instruments but as exquisite works of art. Although it may not bask in the same household recognition as its predecessor, the original Tank, the Tank Cintrée has discreetly exerted its influence.
Fast forward to 2021, Cartier commemorated the centennial milestone of the Tank Cintrée with the release of a limited edition gold model, as part of their exclusive Les Rééditions de Cartier line. This exceptional piece was one of the inaugural watches introduced under this prestigious project. Now, in the year 2023, Cartier is unveiling an even more opulent iteration of the Tank Cintrée, crafted in platinum, to mark a century of the Tank Cintrée watch in platinum. The Les Rééditions de Cartier initiative is designed to faithfully resurrect rare vintage Cartier models, honoring their original forms. However, the Cartier Les Rééditions Tank Cintrée Platinum, while deeply inspired by the 1923 model, exhibits subtle distinctions from the 2021 gold edition. Although maintaining the same dimensions as the original 1921 and the 2021 reissued model—measuring 46.3mm in height and 23mm in width—it boasts a slightly reduced thickness, slimming down from 6.4mm to 6.03mm.
Yet, it remains a meticulous reproduction, featuring signature elements such as a beaded crown adorned with a ruby cabochon, a hallmark of Cartier’s platinum timepieces. It combines brushed surfaces with polished brancards, an alligator leather strap fitted with platinum hardware, an eggshell dial embellished with blued Breguet hands and Roman numerals, and a mineral crystal. Notably, this watch lacks water resistance, a potential drawback for some buyers—though one wouldn’t dare to take a timepiece of this calibre for a swim.
In keeping with the 2021 re-edition, the Cartier Les Rééditions Tank Cintrée Platinum is powered by the calibre 9780 MC, which is Cartier’s designation for the Jaeger-LeCoultre calibre 849. This in itself is a noteworthy detail, as vintage Tank Cintrées were also driven by JLC movements. This movement, with a thickness of only 1.85mm, drives some of the thinnest watches in the Richemont Group’s repertoire, such as the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Knife and the IWC Schaffhausen Portofino Ultra-Thin. It’s intriguing to note that Cartier managed to shave off a few micrometers for this new platinum model.
This exceptional timepiece, the Cartier Les Rééditions Tank Cintrée Platinum, is offered as a limited edition of just 150 pieces and is set to become available at the end of September 2023. Pricing details will be provided upon application. It’s worth noting that Cartier has confirmed that individual markets will not receive specific allocations, as availability will be contingent on customer interest—akin to the concept introduced for the Les Rééditions Pebble.
