261 Cartier Rare and Attractive, Tank Normale, Wristwatch in Platinum, Black Roman Numbers Dial

Estimate: €20,000 –⁠ 40,000

Model: Tank Normale
Case Material: Platinum
Bracelet Material: Leather Strap
Year: 1950's
Movement: Manual
Caliber: 168
Case N°: 42066 - 014056
Movement N°: 375540
Dimensions: 19 × 27 mm
Signed: Dial, Movement and Case

Perhaps no single jewelry or watch brand evokes more glamour, design, innovation, and noble ties than Cartier. Always connected to the biggest names in fashion, politics, and culture, Cartier designed the first men’s wristwatch in 1904, the Santos, named for famed Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont. Over the years, Cartier has produced some of the most iconic watches, including the hyper-appreciated Tank, such as the lot offered here. Entirely manufactured in platinum, the tiny, elegant case of this specimen is very attractive and well-preserved, still showing nice proportions and, most importantly, the hallmarks and engravings. Powering the watch is a manual European Watch & Clock (EWC) movement. The story of EWC began in the 1920s as a joint venture between Cartier and Edmund Jaeger of the Jaeger-LeCoultre firm, leaders in innovative watch movement manufacturing. Although Cartier continued to collaborate with other movement manufacturers, many of their top-line items featured EWC movements, created within the Jaeger-LeCoultre factory in Le Sentier, Switzerland. The dial exhibits the classic Cartier style with a white background and black Roman numerals, maintaining the timeless elegance that Cartier is known for.