2022 Cartier Tank Must de Cartier LM

The Cartier Tank was introduced in 1917 by Louis Cartier, who famously drew inspiration from the geometric silhouette and armored tracks of the Renault FT-17 military tanks used during World War I. While the original Tank Normale established the signature "brancard" case design and Roman numeral dial, the 1922 Tank Louis Cartier refined these features into the softer, more elegant proportions that define the collection today. Over the last century, the line has evolved into a global style icon worn by figures like Andy Warhol, Princess Diana, and Muhammad Ali.

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While most Cartier Tanks throughout history have featured a mechanical movement and a precious metal case, Cartier pivoted in 1977 with the launch of the Must de Cartier series. To lower costs without sacrificing style, these watches featured gold-plated silver cases (vermeil) and utilized either quartz or ETA-based mechanical movements. The collection was successfully reintroduced in 2021, debuting modern SolarBeat movements and vibrant lacquered dials that pay homage to the original designs of the 1970s and 80s.

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The Must de Cartier offered here was released to the US market in 2022 and features a stunning jet-black lacquered dial, rhodium-finished steel hands, and silver printed branding. The crown spices up an otherwise monochrome design with its decorative base and striking blue synthetic spinel cabochon. Among the various modern Tanks available today, this iteration may just be our favorite for its clean, versatile design and refined sense of minimalism.