Cartier Tank Obus 'Vintage'
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Cartier Tank Obus 'Vintage'
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The Obus is one the very few square models in the extended Cartier Tank family.
The Tank Obus was introduced in 1923 and has only been produced in extremely limited numbers since. The Obus stands out among the Tank family as it does not feature the iconic vertical bars found, among others, on the Tank Louis. As the name Obus—which means bullet or shell in French—betrays, the distinguishing characteristics of this model are the exquisite bullet-shaped lugs.
Contemporary versions of the Obus have a distinct square shape, but this early model from the 1950s or 1960s features an elegant 18K yellow gold 19 x 32 mm rectangular case with a standout octagonal winding crown. The watch sports the original crystal with beautiful faceted sides on the inside that give the face tons of depth.
The classic white dial sports Cartier’s iconic painted Roman and elegant blued sword hands that match the faceted sapphire on the crown. The original ‘Paris’ dial is still in tact and look at that font!
The watch comes on a brown alligator leather strap with an 18K yellow gold Cartier deployant buckle.
Introduction
Cartier Louis-François Cartier took over his master’s jewelry workshop in 1847. Over the years, his sons and grandsons inherited the family business and expanded the brand by opening shops in New York and London. King Edward VII of the United Kingdom granted Cartier a prestigious royal warrant in 1904, calling the brand “the jeweler of kings and the king of jeweler.” Such was the renown of Cartier, that royal warrants soon rolled in from all over the world (among which, Belgium, Egypt, Greece, Siam, Spain, Portugal, and Russia). While Cartier is known primarily for its jewelry, it also has a storied history in watchmaking. Cartier’s first foray in watchmaking came in 1888, offering exclusively ladies models. In 1904, Louis Cartier gave his friend and Brazilian aviation pioneer Santos Dumont a watch to wear during his flights. Until then, wrist watches were worn exclusively by women and men opted for the traditional pocket watch. The ‘Santos-Dumont’ was not only the first wristwatch geared towards men but also the first pilot’s watch.
Specifications
- SKU 7117
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