Amongst the most famous watches lies a handful of timepieces that have stood the test of time for over an entire century. Released in 1917 and inspired by the tanks Louis Cartier saw on the Western Front in WWI, the Cartier Tank is a classic timepiece that has become one of the famed French jewellery Maison's most important collections. Over its long and storied past, it has taken on many different shapes, styles, sizes, colours, and so much more. In keeping with Cartier's devotion to the creative, the Tank Asymétrique was first released in 1936 as a classically styled watch that features its very own ode to the unique and wonderful.
For context, the 1930s were an interesting period for Cartier due to the Art Deco movement, which saw the iconic Tank design undergo a multitude of variations. Among these was the Tank Asymétrique, which was known as the “Parallélogramme” or “Losange” at the time as it fundamentally deviated from its conventional rectangular case shape. It was deemed a radical yet innovative design that was unlike anything the traditional watch market had seen at the time. The Privé Tank Asymétrique we have on offer here today heavily borrows the aesthetic and design cues of the former. It features a distinctive triple-lug construction and a 30-degree slanted dial and case which offsets every hour marker by one hour clockwise. As such, the vertical equator spans from 11:00 to 4:00, and the horizontal spans from 8:00 to 2:00—making for quite a unique time-reading experience on the wrist.
Before we delve further into this listing, it's important to note that the Tank Asymétrique offered here today is not an ordinary one (not that it was ordinary to begin with!). This particular variant is a special edition made exclusively for the Cartier boutique on 5th Avenue in New York City. Although it’s not exactly a limited edition per se, we do know that this particular reference is extremely rare, with only a select few of Cartier’s most valued clients having the opportunity to acquire one.
Moving on to its case, this Tank Asymétrique is housed within a 47mm x 26mm platinum 950 case with a characteristic ruby cabochon-set winding crown. The blue sunburst dial is truly stunning, showcasing alternating hour markers and a radial-brushed finish that accentuates its vibrant streaks. Notably, you’ll also find a dot and ‘TH’ embossed right next to the ‘5’ hour marker, paying tribute to Cartier’s boutique on 5th Avenue. The caseback also features a special engraving that reflects this homage.
As a result of the Tank Asymétrique’s unconventional case shape, there wasn’t much usable space within the case itself, so Cartier ended up utilizing an ultra-thin, no-frills, 19-jewelled, manual-wind Cartier Cal. 1917 MC which has a 38-hour power reserve on a full wind.
The original Tank Asymétrique was initially introduced to drivers as a way of easing the task of reading the time, with the dial's offset design appearing to take the conventional layout once viewed while the wearing arm is outstretched like it would be while holding a steering wheel. An eccentric niche within watchmaking, these elegant driver's watches hark back to the time when dash-mounted clocks in cars were rare, and taking one hand off the wheel to check the time may prove to be dangerous given the absence of power-steering.
That being said, even after all these years when the use case for such a specific and unique design has evidently lost its significance and real-life applicability, the design of the Tank Asymétrique still remains a strong statement piece. Why? Well, I think the magic of the Tank Asymétrique’s aesthetic and design lies in the way it tastefully leverages its unorthodox time-display concept, and it’s very austere geometry, into a whole new identity that is beautiful, unique, and refreshing.
This particular example is perhaps one of my favorites among Cartier’s collection of Tank Asymétriques thanks to its overall aesthetics—a substantial and hefty platinum 950 case, a vibrant blue dial that shimmers beautifully under different lighting conditions, a unique time display, and beautiful case proportions that wear like a dream, along with its special edition status. Simply put, this is an absolutely fantastic Tank Asymétrique. Period.
