Results for Tank

The Cartier Tank Cintrée - A Complete Guide

Revolution Awards 2018: Best Design ― Cartier Tank Cintrée

Once again, the global editors of Revolution weigh in on the best timepieces of the year, as well as the personalities that shaped the watch industry.

Introducing the echo/neutra Rivanera Piccolo, an Impressive Follow Up to their Hit Contemporary Dress Watch

There are few watches that have appeared over the last few years that I’ve been as excited about as the echo/neutra Rivanera. I wrote about it at length last year, and coming up on twelve months since I had to send my sample back to Italy, I still think about this watch and how original and full of ideas it is. It did something that’s hard for a single watch to do: it clarified to me what echo/neutra is about as a brand. Up until the Rivanera, I honestly didn’t have a fully formed concept in my head as to what the echo/neutra team was working toward. I liked their watches well enough, but they didn’t speak to me on a gut level. The Rivanera did, though, and it helped me see the vision of the brand in a clearer light.  The latest release from echo/neutra, the Rivanera Piccolo, further cements them as one of the most interesting design forward, affordable indies out there at the moment. A sequel of sorts, the Rivanera Piccolo continues to riff on the original’s rectangular shape, but dares to make it smaller, squarer, and, somehow, sportier. If the Rivanera was a new spin on designs like the Cartier Tank and early Art Deco, the Piccolo jumps a few decades ahead – there’s some distinctly 1960s/70s funk here in a way that I haven’t seen presented in a watch of this type. It places itself right in the middle of the current “stone dials on everything” trend without actually including a stone dial.  Let’s get the proportions out of the way first. The Picco...

The New Bremoir South Beach, and the Influence of Art Deco Design

Virtually every watch enthusiast is familiar with Art Deco, even if they don’t know it. Art Deco, short for Arts décoratifs, first appeared in Paris in the 1910s and spread across the globe over the following two decades. You may not be familiar with Art Deco’s principles - bold geometric forms and streamlined, mechanical aesthetics, among them - but you are almost assuredly familiar with some of its most famous designs, like the Cartier Tank and JLC Reverso. Worn & Wound contributor and Art Deco enthusiast Christoph McNeill considers Art Deco “the pinnacle of design,” and says he loves the beauty of the Machine Age design movement’s expression of curves and lines, obsession with mechanical aesthetics, and “streamline” nature. Wristwatches, which became popular about the same time Art Deco came onto the scene, was a natural medium for Art Deco design. “Because they’re little, tiny machines, right? said McNeill. “It sort of went hand-in-hand.” Vintage Art Deco watches from Christoph’s personal collection So, what does Art Deco design look like in watches?  “It means clean lines, very specific fonts,” said watch collector and seller extraordinaire Eric Wind. “I think of a lot of rectangles, squares, things like that. Less round, unless it’s round within a rectangle. A lot of black on silver. I think of that kind of high shine chrome when I think about Deco as well. More silver than gold.” Wind cites “a lot of Pateks from the 20s and ...

The Journey of Thomas Schnelle

Thomas Schnelle’s journey began in northern Germany, where he pursued studies in toolmaking. After completing his technical college education, Schnelle found himself at a crossroads. While he contemplated studying design, a lack of confidence initially held him back. It was at this juncture that fate intervened, leading him to Chronoswiss, then owned and operated by Gerd-Rüdiger Lang in Munich.  Chronowiss and Lang could be a long story in itself since Lang had mentored and influenced a lot of the next generation of watchmakers and brands. In 1991, 21-year-old Schnelle approached Lang, and it paid off when Lang entrusted the young newcomer with a significant project – creating a series of 99 escapement models. Schnelle officially started his career in the watchmaking industry as a supplier to Chronoswiss, later becoming a freelancer for the Bavarian brand.  In 1995, Schnelle completed his watchmaking studies in Würzburg, and had the honor to be recognized as Germany’s best young watchmaker in competition. He continued to work as a freelancer for Chronoswiss until 2012, when Lang sold the company to the Ebstein family in Switzerland. Schnelle also repaired Cartier Tank watches for nearly 20 years for the Richemont group. He even took on side projects like milling air stream chambers for Infineon, and offering his technical design services.  In August 2024, I visited Schnelle at his home atelier in Munich, and his workshop was filled with photographs, technical de...

The Three Watch Collection for $5,000: Reader Edition – Michael Chong

Editor’s Note: For this edition of The Three Watch Collection for $5,000, we have a collection from collector Michael Chong. Michael has chosen a trio of watches that track his varied horological interests, from a quirky Seiko to perhaps the most classic watch design of them all, the Cartier Tank. There’s also a familiar Nomos Club Campus, but this one has a twist.  Since high school graduation, I have spent 5 years navigating the vast world of watches, collecting and refining my collection to reflect my lifestyle and identity. However, I underestimated this task, and I now realize that this is a dynamic lifelong journey, subject to the natural or unexpected changes that humans go through in their life, whether it is relocation, career shifts, evolving needs or wants, or amending personal tastes/niches. Below I present my ideal three-watch collection under 5k, shaped by 5 years of this process. Seiko A829-6019 – $650 In 2020, while searching for an LCD Speedmaster 186.0004, I stumbled upon the Seiko A829-6019, which also boasted a NASA connection and was more affordable. I discovered this 1982 Seiko A829 on eBay up for auction with its original bracelet and endlinks. After doing deep research ensuring it was all 100% original, I purchased it and the watch was delivered the following week. Despite some wear and tear, including a scratched bezel and faded red accents, all functions, including the alarms (extremely loud), worked flawlessly. The standout feature was the...

Snoopy Just Wants to Sleep: the Swatch Mission to the Moonphase is Here

In a move that would seem to indicate that no, they really never will stop with these things, Swatch has unveiled a new Bioceramic MoonSwatch featuring, you guessed it: Snoopy. This release has been teased for several weeks now, so it’s not exactly a shock, but it just kind of landing on a Wednesday night is, I have to admit, a little unexpected. What we have here is an all white Bioceramic MoonSwatch case (inspired by the full moon, according to Swatch), a form factor that at this point is nearly as familiar as a Seiko SKX007 or a Cartier Tank. The “Mission to the MoonPhase” at first glance looks like a typical MoonSwatch, but in a stark white treatment. I can’t be the only one for whom it immediately conjured the Guilty Remnant, right? If there’s a watch better suited to that particular, fictional, doomsday cult, I’ve never seen it.  Anyway, this is most certainly not a normal MoonSwatch. No, this one not only features everyone’s favorite cartoon beagle in the subdial at the 2:00 position, but it’s a moonphase (yes, that’s Snoopy, apparently representing all of us, just trying to get some sleep in the moonphase indicator). I’m sometimes hard on the MoonSwatch, but Swatch has done something genuinely cool with the lume treatment here, adding a “secret” line of text that will only be visible under UV light. It’s charming, fitting with the Snoopy theme, and feels like the right way to execute something that could be perceived as gimmick. This kind...

Every watch is a tool watch

Is a gold Sub a tool watch? Or how about a Cartier Tank? D.C. certainly seems to think so.The post Every watch is a tool watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Unholy Grail: the spaciest Speedy ever, the Omega Speedmaster ‘Teutonic’

No matter how tasteful your watch collection, no matter how stuffed your portfolio is with blue chip stocks like no-date Subs, classic Heuers, or the perfect Cartier Tank, there’s probably a black sheep lurking somewhere. Your questionable choices. Your dark secrets. The one that’s horribly out of fashion, objectively unattractive, or just plain bizarre. Be … ContinuedThe post Unholy Grail: the spaciest Speedy ever, the Omega Speedmaster ‘Teutonic’ appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The Three Watch Collection for $5,000: Reader Edition – Tanner T.

Editor’s Note: In this edition of the 3 Watch Collection for $5,000, reader Tanner T. shares a tidy three watch collection that spans from some all-time classics, to some newcomers on the scene. There’s plenty of style here to enjoy, and even a reminder not to take ourselves too seriously. Best of all, this collection could come in under budget at the right spec. If you’d like to submit your own 3 watch collection for $5,000 can you do so at the form right here.  I must admit this was a challenge, not because I am spoiled for choice (which we all are these days as watch enthusiasts), but because I actually aspire to not be a collector. Wearing and enjoying a single piece day in, day out is something I pursue and practice. There’s something rewarding about a watch so satisfying and inherently capable that it requires no stablemates. Now for the rest of us who live in reality and want to experience more, here are three watches that comprise a solid trio and share unique aspects about what keeps collecting interesting. Oh, and they all fit well under five thousand of your hard-earned buckaroos. Cartier Tank Must Solarbeat ($2610 in small, $2740 in large) Cartier’s reputation as the “Jeweler of Kings and King of Jewelers” is another way of suggesting they’re your favorite watch company’s favorite watch company (the folks at Jaeger LeCoultre are gonna love that). The storied maison has been on an incredible run over the last few years with reimagined hits li...

Chanel Introduces the Boy.Friend Skeleton Red Edition

While Chanel watches were all about the Electro “Rainbow” last year, its 2022 high horology timepieces form the Red Edition Collection. Including in the line up are the Boy.Friend Skeleton Red Editions, both ladies watches powered by the same notably interesting in-house movement, the hand-wind Caliber 3. Initial thoughts Chanel puts out fine mechanical movements – the Caliber 1 of the Monsieur exemplifies that – but typically with the bold, varied, and tasteful style that only a fashion house can achieve. The new pair of Boy.Friend Skeleton watches are exactly that. The clean, distinctive shape is inspired by a perfume bottle, but it has a strong form that is appealing. More appealing is the Caliber 3 inside, an in-house movement with a strong geometric aesthetic that suits the case perfectly. It is clear the movement’s developers wanted it to look good, and they succeeded. The Caliber 3 inside the Boy.Friend Skeleton X-Ray Red Edition with a clear sapphire case Though both watches are certainly large enough to be men’s watches – the case dimensions are similar to a men’s Cartier Tank – they are unquestionably ladies’ watches (and Chanel markets them as such). Given the compelling movement, the Boy.Friend Skeleton one of the most interesting time-only watches for ladies on the market. The Boy.Friend Skeleton Red Edition in Beige Gold set with rubies Bottle shaped The rectangular case of the Boy.Friend is modelled on the bottle cap of Chanel’s No. 9...

This is the ultimate dress watch, and it has been for more than 100 years

Editor’s note: Dress watches are one of those timepiece genres with very specific ‘rules’, and can be hard to nail. One watch that always manages to look elegant and on point in a dressy situation is the Cartier Tank. Like this Tank Louis Cartier we looked at a while back … It’s hard to overstate … ContinuedThe post This is the ultimate dress watch, and it has been for more than 100 years appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Princess Diana: England’s Rose, 20 Years On

Revolution remembers, Princess Diana 20 years on from her death as the exemplary Cartier Tank patron and the positive impact her life had on the world.

Sunday Morning Showdown: Audemars Piguet Neo Frame Jumping Hour Vs. Cartier Tank À Guichets

Good morning, Fratelli, and welcome to another Sunday Morning Showdown. Slowly open your shutters, make yourself a nice cup of coffee, and sit back and relax. Today will be a discreet, sophisticated, and elegant showdown. Last year, Cartier reintroduced its famous Tank à Guichets in 18K rose gold, 18K yellow gold, and 950 platinum. At […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Audemars Piguet Neo Frame Jumping Hour Vs. Cartier Tank À Guichets to read the full article.

Sunday Morning Showdown: Cartier Tank Américaine Vs. Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Classic Monoface Small Seconds

Good morning, Fratelli, and welcome to a new Sunday Morning Showdown. Grab a cup of coffee or tea, something sweet, and sneak up somewhere next to the Christmas tree. This week, we’ll put two watches up against each other that could both perfectly serve as Christmas dinner watches. They’re both rectangular with silver dials and […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Cartier Tank Américaine Vs. Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Classic Monoface Small Seconds to read the full article.

Cartier Tank Basculante Review: The Other Reversible Watch

The Cartier Tank is among the most iconic and enduring designs in today’s horological landscape. The brand’s no-frills design, inspired by military Renault FT-17 tanks of WWI, not only shares centre stage with another innovator of the rectangular watch, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso (more on that later), but it has reacted well to several significant updates, surviving modification after modification without ever losing an ounce of its integrity or charm.  One example is the Cartier Tank Busculante. Article by Nina Scally [toc-section heading="Some Context"] [text-media heading="" text="Loved equally by men and women worldwide, the Tank has a fascinating history. It was born into a colossal legacy and was required to follow in the footsteps of the revolutionary Santos – an aviation watch with an unmistakable presence (big boots to fill). The Santos was the first true modern wristwatch of its time and had already set an impossibly high bar. Emerging from its square-shaped shadow, however, the Tank faced a monumental challenge." image="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0278/9723/3501/files/Cartier-Tank-Jackie-Kennedy-watch-2.jpg" caption=""] [image-with-caption image="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0278/9723/3501/files/Cartier-Tank-Basculante-Featured-Sothebys.jpg" caption="Photo by Sotheby's"] Against all odds, it became the definitive dress watch of its era. Its slim profile and perfectly blended proportions enabled it to slip neatly under the cuff of a shirt, int...

Cartier Tank a Guichets Review: A Quirky Art Deco Classic Returns

Usually, when we think of Cartier, our thoughts turn to classical luxury and elegance rather than military-style minimalism. However, the world-famous maison and “jeweler of kings” has long dabbled in both worlds, at least when it comes to watchmaking. And there is no better example of a timepiece that embodies that ethos than the rather unexpected headliner of Cartier’s new releases at the 2025 Watches & Wonders salon: the Cartier Privé Tank à Guichets.  The Tank à Guichets, of course, is an evolution of the original Cartier Tank watch, which is itself a historical example of a modern luxury item with clearly military inspiration (it’s right there in the name, actually).  Throughout its prestigious history since being unveiled in 1917 by its inventor, Louis Cartier, the Tank has evolved in ways that are both subtle and revolutionary and has appeared in forms of which many of us might not even be aware. Some of these more exotic and unusual Tank pieces have found their way back into the main collection in recent years as part of the Cartier Privé series, and it is from this series that the new Guichets, in its three distinctive iterations, does indeed hail.  The Original Cartier Tank But let’s start off by establishing where this watch’s design legacy began. The classic, original Cartier Tank, which didn’t actually go into serial production until 1919, derived its name and its rectangular, curvilinear case shape from the World War I-era Renault FT-17 t...

Seiko Tank Review: This $210 Dress Watch Is A Hidden Gem

Seiko has no shortage of dress watches, many of which come from the Presage collection, which boasts some of the best values out there. That said, I recently came across a watch that not only comes from the Japanese brand's more basic, entry-level Essentials collection, but is actually the cheapest Seiko out there at the moment. Yes, the Seiko SWR064 is affectionately dubbed the Seiko Tank for obvious reasons, but there is something distinctly Japanese about it. I had my initial doubts about this watch, but when factoring in the design, style, and price, there was no real way of getting around the fact that this is a starter dress watch that exudes value. Let's get into why. Seiko "Tank" Case The case of this Seiko “Tank” is done in stainless steel, with a gold-plated finish that really fits in with the retro styling. I’m usually really turned off by gold-plating but the cohesiveness with the dial elements pulls it together. As for the size, it measures 27.9mm wide, 38.5mm tall, and 6.7mm thick (30 meters of water resistance). For the sake of comparison, the Cartier Tank Louis “Extra Large” comes in at 27.75mm wide, 38.1mm tall, and 8.18mm thick, so the sizes are very close. There’s not a lot of chatter about this watch out there but I did notice some people say it’s too big to be anything like a Tank, which is demonstrably false. The similarities don’t stop there, as the positioning of the brancards is similar - though I do wish they were just a little b...

Sign up For The Cartier × Fratello Event - Tank: The Journey of a Timeless Icon

For the first time ever, Cartier will showcase a curated selection of heritage watches from its iconic Tank collection in the heart of Amsterdam. The exhibition will take place in Cartier’s beautifully appointed boutique on the P.C. Hooftstraat - a location the Maison has proudly called home for exactly 50 years. This milestone coincides with […] Visit Sign up For The Cartier × Fratello Event - Tank: The Journey of a Timeless Icon to read the full article.

Cartier Tank Louis Review

The Cartier Tank is one of the most thoroughly and exhaustively discussed watches of all time. At one point or another, the Cartier Tank has been worn by JFK, Princess Diana, Ralph Lauren, Michelle Obama, Muhammad Ali, Andy Warhol… the list really goes on and on. The first Cartier Tank was a prototype worn by none other than U.S. General "Black Jack" Pershing, who was the commander of the Allied forces in World War I. And while the collection was formally debuted with the Tank Normale, it would be the Cartier Tank Louis that would go on to be synonymous with the iconic rectangular-cased watch. Of course, there is so much history and lore to get lost in with the Tank and our own resident expert, Mark Bernardo, did a complete job of it, which you can read here. The Cartier Tank Louis is an Art Deco classic that has inspired countless imitators but, as with all great things, there is the real thing and then there’s everything else.  Cartier Tank Louis Case  The contemporary Cartier Tank Louis comes in a few different sizes, starting with the mini quartz which is 16.5mm wide, 6.2mm thick, and 24mm tall; to the small mechanical, which is 22mm wide, 6.8mm thick, and 29.5mm tall; to the size I will be reviewing here, which is the large manual-winding model, which is 25.5mm wide, 6.6mm thick, and 33.7mm tall. There is also the automatic Tank Louis that was introduced at this year’s edition of Watches & Wonders, which is 27.7mm wide, 8.18mm thick, and 38.1mm tall. When mos...

Cartier Tank Alternatives For Every Budget

Inarguably, the Cartier Tank in its many iterations is one of the most significant, easily recognizable, and, ultimately, iconic watches of all time. One can easily spot its quintessential mixing of a rectangular case and simple, legible dial design (most commonly, with Roman numerals, thin sword hands, and the signature Cartier script), out in the wild. It’s a watch that was unisex before unisex was a marketing buzzword across the industry, and since it went into serial production in 1919 has been executed in as many sizes, colors, and materials as one could dream up. Most would agree that the Tank still retains the title of the ultimate rectangular watch in the larger cultural consciousness.  While all of the above is true, we are gathered here today not only to wax poetic on the subject of Cartier’s illustrious Tank, but to dive into a somewhat controversial subject - more wallet-friendly alternatives to the Tank. I will go bravely forth into what might be looked upon as a horological faux-pas. Still, given that I am personally subjected to the plight of needing to be different, have a natural hesitation towards what is most popular, and am not afraid to stick to a budget when necessary, I think I am uniquely fit for the task. Additionally, I am of the mind that imitation is the ultimate form of flattery, so you can also feel free to read this as a love letter to the Cartier Tank.  Down below, I’ve rounded up some contemporary alternatives to the Cartier Tank ...

My Cartier Tank: Mark Cho

In partnership with Cartier, we meet the man behind the Armoury and Drake's, and his Tank Basculante.

My Cartier Tank: Matt Hranek

In partnership with Cartier, we meet a world-traveling writer and photographer, and his Tank Louis Cartier.

Retrospective: An Unexpected NOS Mimo Tuxedo Tank Find

A Mimo watch has been on my wishlist for almost a decade. Although I am on a hunt for different Mimo models, I simply couldn’t resist this tuxedo tank. With an original strap, buckle, and even the brand tag, it looks like it just left the Mimo factory. Mimo is one of the brands we […] Visit Retrospective: An Unexpected NOS Mimo Tuxedo Tank Find to read the full article.

Best of Cartier at Watches & Wonders 2025 – from Tank à Guichets to the leaping Panthère bangle

We take a closer look at Cartier's best from this year's fair.The post Best of Cartier at Watches & Wonders 2025 – from Tank à Guichets to the leaping Panthère bangle appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.