105 years after its introduction, Cartier’s Tank has demonstrated a staying power enjoyed by few other watch models. It’s safe to say that few, if any, timepieces have remained as true to form for as long as the Tank, thanks to a simple layout that has served as a canvas upon which designers have adapted the Tank to the times. This ability to “update” the basic design without losing the Tank’s essence is perhaps the key to its success.

So it is that Cartier’s new Tank styles, announced at 2022’s Watches & Wonders event in Geneva, are a continuation of this tradition. Focusing on just two of the sub-styles within the Tank collection, Cartier has opted to expand the Tank Louis Cartier and Tank Must.

The Tank Louis Cartier takes on new life for 2022. Maximizing variety with three new references, the new Louis Cartier Tanks are available in:

• – Red dial with yellow gold casing and red alligator leather strap
• – Anthracite dial with rose gold casing and gray alligator leather strap
• – Black dial with yellow gold casing and black alligator leather strap

The red and gray variants steal the show, thanks to a dial design that is a departure from the traditional Tank dial scheme. With just four Roman numerals instead of the usual twelve, the new Tank Louis Cartier immediately take on a new appearance. Behind the numerals, Cartier’s watchmakers used special galvanization and lacquer processes to enhance the dial colors while special engraving patterns lend depth to stylized rectangular shapes that replace the Tank’s typical rail track. Inside, a hand-wound mechanical movement keeps the faith, a proud heritage of the Tank since 1917. Operated as always via the 3 o’clock crown, the Louis Cartier models are topped with a real sapphire cabochon that accents the precious metal casing with distinction. Balancing out the LC’s elegance, the all-black dial variant makes for a totally minimal experience, free of any dial markings save for branding. Still, it remains the consummate dress watch.

To that end, the all-black Tank Louis Cartier is a bridge to the new Must models. Featuring the same stealth dial as above, the new Must references hew even closer to their Tank Louis Cartier cousins. With steel casing and quartz movements, the Must remains Cartier’s most accessible Tank varietal. Available in both Large and Small sizes, the Must comes across as not just an expansion of the line, but an appeal to the legions of newly minted watch enthusiasts who’ve joined the world of horology in recent years.

Specifications:

• Brand: Cartier
• Model: Tank
• Dimensions: Large and Small (dimensions TBD as of press time)
• Case Material: Yellow Gold,  Rose Gold, or Stainless Steel
• Movement: Manufacture Mechanical with Manual Winding 1917 MC (Tank Louis Cartier), Quartz (Tank Must)
• Power Reserve: 38 hours (Mechanical movement)
• Strap/Bracelet: Red (Tank Louis Cartier only), gray (Tank Louis Cartier only), or black alligator leather
• Price & Availability: TBD as of press time