THE ESSENTIALS

MAKE: CARTIER
MODEL: 8172984
YEAR: c1995
BOX/PAPERS: NO/YES(SERVICE)
CASE DIAMETER: 24 x 41 MM
CASE MATERIAL: 18K YELLOW GOLD
BRACELET MATERIAL: LEATHER
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC

In 1904, Louis Cartier designed a watch for his friend, the Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, who needed a hands-free way to tell the time while flying. The result, the Cartier Santos, became the first purpose-built men's wristwatch and was made commercially available a few years later, in 1911. In 1917, the Cartier Tank was born, directly inspired by the French Renault FT-17 tank used during the First World War. More than a century later, Cartier is the world's second-largest watch brand by revenue, sitting just behind Rolex, and the Tank family has become one of the most iconic watch designs ever created, with countless variations introduced over the years.

Among these, the Tank Américaine is a relatively young member of the family, having been introduced in 1989 to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Cartier's New York branch. Early Tank Américaines were fitted predominantly with quartz movements, a reflection of the era when much of the Swiss watch industry was still recovering from the Quartz Crisis. Its design draws clear inspiration from the Tank Cintrée (Tommy's personal favourite Cartier), but with a more contemporary case that is slightly shorter, thicker, and less dramatically curved. Like the Cintrée, however, the curved case wears beautifully on almost any wrist.

The present example is one of the rarer automatic models, whereas most Tank Américaines from the period were fitted with either quartz or manual-winding movements. The mid-size case measures 24 × 41 mm and is crafted entirely in 18K rose gold. The dial is unmistakably Cartier, featuring printed Roman numerals, a date window at 6 o'clock, the understated Cartier signature, and the beautiful sapphire cabochon crown.

The watch has been beautifully preserved over the years and benefited from a Cartier service in early 2025, during which it was fitted a new Cartier strap. The original 18k yellow gold deployant clasp is present. The movement is running beautifully at +2 s/d, with 310° amplitude and a 0.0 ms beat error.

A fantastic neo-vintage Cartier that we are proud to present.