Cartier Tank 'Magnum', 1940s with JLC Movement

Dealer description — Oliver & Clarke

The Cartier Tank was one of the first wristwatches. Full stop! Inspired by the Renault Tanks used on the battlefield in WWI — yes, true story. Revolutionary at the time, Louis Cartier took inspiration from the profile of the treads on a period Renault tank, and based the case on them by way of the of brancards doubling as the lugs themselves. Over the course of the 20 th Century, the Tank became the watch to wear. Silent movie stars like Rudolph Valentino, artists like Andy Warhol, and even Jackie Kennedy were all fans of the signature timepiece from the King of Jewelers and the Jeweler of Kings. An icon indeed in the truest sense of the word. The model was first introduced in a few different case shapes which bore different names that intertwine with the inspiration behind them. The example that we have here is a riff on one of those pieces — and a very, very special one indeed. Dating to the circa 1947, this piece features an oversized rectangular case coming in at approximately 25mm x 37mm. With no actual model name, collectors have come to call these 'Magnums,' 'Super Tanks,' or 'Maxi Tanks.' The actual design of these pieces are most closely reminiscent of the Tank Normale, but of course, these are roughly twice the size! These pieces all feature manual-winding movements, with the earlier examples utilizing movements by European Watch & Clock, and the later examples movements by Jaeger LeCoultre. It is believed that both of these movements also underwent a period of overlap and were even interchangeable. The dial inside is matte white with its text and indices executed in the old 'stamp' style. The handset — blued-steel, of course — is unique to this model, featuring a wider and more exaggerated 'sword' shape. They are very attractive and well fitting for a piece of this size. The crown appears to be a period-correct flat unit. This example also comes fitted to a period-correct wide-style signed deployant clasp with a later Cartier leather strap. The condition of this piece is fantastic given its age and precious metal construction. Possibly unpolished, it shows normal signs of wear and light sleeve-polishing throughout, with clear and defined hallmarks. The dial inside has likely been restored at a previous time and features a clean white surface with the correct 'stamped' text and indices throughout. The correct handset shows light surface oxidation. It is estimated that there are right around ten of these ever produced, beginning in the 1930s and extending into the early 1950s... Need we say more?