During a period when “Jumbo” was becoming a more commonly used term for watches, think of the Royal Oak and the Nautilus, Cartier also came with something interesting. The Tank, the icon of the brand, was also produced in a larger case with an automatic movement. The yellow gold reference 17002 is most commonly seen, but white gold is another story entirely...

This Tank 17002 dates back to the mid 70s. As mentioned above, brands were starting to produce watches in larger shapes and proportions, marking the beginning of a new era in watchmaking. While the Tank is mainly seen with quartz or manual-winding movements, an automatic version is less commonly seen. On the caseback, you can see the raised “bubble” that allows the rotor to spin. The dial features the Cartier Paris signature at 6 o’clock, on a white dial with black Roman numerals.

The condition of this example is very good. Most importantly it retains its original dial, which is absolutely free from cracks or annoying blemishes. Furthermore the case remains strong, with the numbers on the caseback still visible. It is fitted with an original white gold Cartier folding clasp, a black alligator strap and the well-known blue cabochon crown, completing the look of this iconic watch.

To emphasize the rarity of this specimen in white gold: only 6 have been offered to the public in recent years. Out of those, only 2 (including ours) had the Paris dial. Since these are so rare, some crooked dealers have "converted" some yellow gold 17002's to white, by rhodium plating it. To make sure this has not been the case here, we had Cartier confirm its production in white gold. All-in-all an opportunity you do not want to miss.