
Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Cartier Tank Obus CPCP in 18 k yellow gold ref 2380, late 1990s
- Maker / attribution
- Cartier (maker)
- Date
- late 1990s
- Historical period
- Mechanical Renaissance (1990 – 2010)
- Country of origin
- France
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Materials / technique
- yellow gold
- Dimensions
- Case 33.5 mm
- Stock no.
- W-3567
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Bulang & Sons (W-3567)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Cartier Tank Obus CPCP in 18 k yellow gold ref 2380 (English)
View the source record (dealer listing) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction
Record summary
Catalogued by Bulang & Sons (dealer), Copenhagen (stock number W-3567), this is a wristwatch by Cartier, made in France, dated late 1990s. The Atlas places it in the Mechanical Renaissance period (1990 – 2010) of its Wristwatches collection. Materials and techniques recorded by the source: yellow gold. Recorded dimensions: Case 33.5 mm. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — Bulang & Sons
The Cartier Tank Obus was introduced in 1923 and has only ever been produced in extremely limited numbers. The model stands apart thanks to its distinctive case design. Unlike its rectangular Tank counterparts, the Obus features a square case with charming, bullet-shaped lugs—hence the name “Obus,” French for bullet . This rare Collection Privée Cartier Paris (CPCP) Tank Obus is crafted in 18k yellow gold and measures 26.5 × 33.5 mm. The silver dial is beautifully finished with fine guilloché engraving and features painted black Roman numerals paired with elegant blued Breguet hands. True to Cartier tradition, the winding crown is adorned with a blue sapphire cabochon. Turning the watch over reveals a display case back showcasing the manual-winding movement, with attractively finished plates decorated with Cartier’s signature interlocking double “C” motif. Fitted with a refined Bulang & Sons strap, this Tank Obus is a supremely elegant dress watch with a distinctly luxury presence. Powering the watch is the hand-wound caliber 430 C, based on a Piaget movement. It has been fully checked and regulated by our watchmaker and is ready to be enjoyed for many years to come. A true pièce de collection —sharp, rare, and unmistakably Cartier. If you’re aiming to add a little Obus to your collection, this is a shot you won’t want to miss! Specifications: Cartier Tank Obus reference 2380 Collection Privé Cartier Paris Yellow gold case 33.5x26.5mm Display case back Serial CC518xx dates to the late 1990s Silver guilloche dial with painted black Roman numerals Blued Breguet hands Blue cabochon-topped winder Comes on pictured Bulang and sons leather strap Cartier calibre 430 C manual wind movement based on a Piaget movement Fully checked by our watchmaker
Historical context
Mechanical Renaissance (1990 – 2010)
Mechanical watches return as cultural objects; independent watchmaking flourishes.
Mechanical watches returned as cultural and luxury objects. Complications, tourbillons and new materials proliferated; independent watchmakers such as George Daniels, F.P. Journe and Philippe Dufour revived artisanal watchmaking; collecting vintage watches became a major field.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Quartz Revolution
Atlas type guide
Wristwatches
Bracelet watches were worn by women from the early nineteenth century — Breguet made one for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples, in 1810–12 — but the wristwatch only became a man's instrument with military use and aviation in the early twentieth century. Between the World Wars it overtook the pocket watch; the 1920s and 1930s brought rectangular Art Deco cases, water-resistant cases and the first automatic winding systems.
After 1945 the wristwatch became a carrier of identity — dress watches, sports and dive watches, chronographs, calendars — produced by Swiss, American, Japanese, German, Soviet and Chinese industries. The quartz revolution after 1969 and the mechanical renaissance since the 1990s, including the rise of independent watchmakers, complete the story.
What to look for
- The reference number (between the lugs or inside the case back) and serial number, the starting point for dating.
- The calibre: its maker and number are often stamped under the dial or on the bridge.
- Originality of dial, hands and crown — refinished ('redial') dials are common.
- Case material marks: 18K/750, 14K/585, stainless steel, gold-filled, plated.
Dating clues
- Wire-lug cases: before c. 1925.
- Water-resistant screw-down cases: from 1926.
- Quartz movements: from 1969; sapphire crystals widespread after c. 1980.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
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