The Cartier Tank Watch

The only dedicated monograph on the Tank, written by Franco Cologni and first published in 1998.

The Tank was introduced in 1917 and has remained one of the most influential watch designs of the twentieth century. Cologni traces the form from Louis Cartier's original concept through the branching of the family into distinct references: the Tank Louis Cartier, the Tank Américaine, the Tank Cintrée, the Tank Française, and the evolution of each across the decades.

What It Covers

The design origins of the Tank form in the First World War period, the successive references introduced across the twentieth century, the complications produced within the Tank case, and the cultural history of a watch that has appeared on the wrists of a remarkably consistent set of figures. The 2023 edition adds a chapter covering new Tank models introduced since 2017.