Brand: Cartier
Item Number: 10069
Description: This vintage Tank Basculante (Model# W1011158) with solid stainless steel case is in great condition. All caseback engravings are still very crisp and legible. The reversed side of the case is in excellent condition with minor scratches. Case measures 21mm. Lug to lug is 32mm and 6mm thick with minor surface scratches around the bezel and case back. Ivory dial with black lacquered numerals is in great condition with a tiny mark between the three and four numerals. The hidden Cartier logo is located in the 10 o'clock marker. The blue steeled hands show no signs of degradation or age. Non-original black leather strap and silver buckle show normal signs of usage. No box or papers included. Circa early 2000's.
Condition: Vintage in great condition with minor scratches on case. Leather strap shows normal signs of wear.
Shipping: Free shipping on all orders. Two-day delivery anywhere in the United States for all purchases over two thousand dollars and ground delivery for all other orders.
The Story: It's common knowledge that the Cartier Tank is one of the most iconic watch designs of all time, and other than some more eclectic references produced has remained relatively the same over its long run of production. The Cartier Tank was originally designed in 1917 and became commercially available in 1919, and its design was inspired by the Renault FT-17 tank used by the French Military in the First World War. Although the Cartier Tank appears to have remained the same for the course of its design life, there are some interesting anomalies that happened during its production run that resulted in very collectible and very rare timepieces.
The first Tank Basculante Mécanique was released from Cartier in 1932. At the time, it was a miraculously thin mechanical watch for Cartier (or any brand) to produce. The original Basculante housed a 2.1mm 610 calibre, which was made by Piguet. Similar in style to the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso, which was released a year prior, the Basculante is said to provide better protection to the face of the watch when reversed and in contrast, uses a swinging inner frame as opposed to JLC's sliding track style reversing mechanism. The Basculante also hosts the crown at the 12 o'clock position, and still reveals Cartier's signature sapphire cabochon no matter which direction the dial faces. The namesake comes from the French word, bascule, which appropriately translates to 'seesaw'.
For almost two centuries Cartier has always been a benchmark in design, innovation, and style. Kings, queens, princesses, celebrities rom every field, and wealthy lovers of luxury have all worn Cartier.
In tune with their spirit of innovation, Cartier was the first to introduce platinum into watches and jewelry. During the 19th century platinum was treasured because of it was both extremely rare and expensive. Using it for fine craftsmanship had extra challenges because of its very high boiling point. This made it very difficult to work with for intricate pieces like watches and jewelry, however in 1847, Alfred Cartier began incorporating platinum into his watches and jewelry and was the first jeweler to do so.
Cartier remained a family owned business until 1964 and has been held by various investors since. But the Spirit of Cartier is still alive and flourishing. The company has stayed true to their founding family's evolving vision and continues to produce some of the most excellent and supreme luxury items in the world.
Every Watch Has a StoryTM is in no way affiliated with Cartier and does not claim to be. We simply love their products and make them available to our customers who enjoy surrounding themselves with the best of the best.
