And Marcello Mastroianni treated himself to four Tanks in 1961 alone. Rex Harrison, Cary Grant and Bob Hope all wore it - as did Cole Porter, Frank Sinatra and Duke Ellington (his, the futuristic Tank à Guichets). Rudolph Valentino insisted on wearing his watch along with his desert-robe costume throughout the 1926 filming of “The Son of the Sheikh,” his final role. “It’s not only a simple form but the combination of cabochon and crown, with the Roman numerals, is a classic Cartier.”Īctors and celebrities also have been Tank enthusiasts. The watch, after all, has an “aesthetic that transcends simple time,” said John Reardon, Christie’s international head of watches. And Diana, Princess of Wales, owned two: a Tank Louis Cartier and an all-gold Tank Française. Warhol never wound his properly (“I wear a Tank because it’s the watch to wear,” he said). Most common material are: stainless steel, steel and 14K gold, steel and 18K gold, 9K gold, 14K gold or 18K gold (white, yellow or rose), and platinum. Identify the material of the case, bezel and the bracelet. Serial numbers on many Cartiers can be found on the case back. The watch also had enthusiasts among the world’s acknowledged design leaders: It has been worn by Calvin Klein, Yves Saint Laurent and Andy Warhol, although Mr. Serial number determines Serial number determines Model. The maharajahs of Kapurthala acquired 12 in the mid-1920s, the Rothschilds were big Tank customers, and it was William Randolph Hearst’s favorite timepiece.

John Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Force, who was stationed in Paris during World War I. One of the first Tanks was a gift to Gen. The games have continued - including the water-resistant Tank Étanche in 1931, the Tank Française and its metal bracelet in 1996, the Tank Américaine with Cartier’s first in-house caliber in 2009 and the eccentric, bejeweled Tank Folle in 2012.Įnhancing the watch’s allure has been its famous fans, from all walks of life.

Cologni wrote, “Much of the magic of the Tank resides in the ambiguity of its form which predisposes it so marvelously to geometric games.” The Tank’s angular shape was muse itself as Mr. There was the curved, oblong Tank Cintrée in 1921 and the more rounded Tank Louis Cartier in 1922, and it was around that time that the Tank Chinoise reflected the period’s love of chinoiserie.

Almost immediately after its introduction, variations on the Tank design appeared.

Cartier serial numbers year