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Cartier’s new Privé Tank Normale collection honours the OG Cartier’s new Privé Tank Normale collection honours the OG

Cartier’s new Privé Tank Normale collection honours the OG

Zach Blass
  • The Cartier Tank Normale is the original 1917 Tank design from Louis Cartier
  • This is the 7th entry into the rare Privé collection, succeeding the Crash, Tank Cintrée, Tonneau, the Tank Asymétrique, Cloche and Tank Chinoise
  • Offered in standard and skeleton forms, with the standard models also available on case-matching precious metal bracelets – all of which are limited editions

The industry buzzword “novelty” refers to new product. At the most revolutionary, we will have a new complication or design geometry. And, towards the safer side of the spectrum, the novelty of a novelty will be limited to the addition of new dial colors to an existing model. The latest entry into the Cartier Privé collection may have nothing novel about its design, but, in this instance, that is actually its biggest strength rather than a weakness. This is due to the fact that the Cartier Privé line is all about creating rare limited editions that faithfully explore the Maison’s most mythical models. The Cartier Tank is arguably the most iconic Cartier watch design, and a certified icon in watchmaking as a whole. The new Cartier Privé Tank Normale collection we have today faithfully honors the original 1917 Louis Cartier design that birthed the lineup we have today with a range of precious releases that, in a time where vintage Cartier could not be hotter, drooling.

Cartier Privé Tank Normale yellow gold platinum on leather straps

The Normale is subtly distinguished from the Tank Louis Cartier most are used to today due to its slightly more squared profile, with more case side that are more compact in length but greater in width. Cartier has remained faithful to the original 1917 design’s proportions, with the new Cartier Privé Tank Normale watches clocking in at 25.7mm in diameter and 32.6mm across the wrist lug-to-lug. This is of course tiny by today’s standards, but, rather than try to speak to modern machismo, Cartier has remained true to the Normale’s origins in a manner befitting of the Privé collections ultimate mission. And, let’s be honest, Cartier will have no issue selling these pieces. In the same way Cartier remained faithful to the original Normale’s proportions, they continued their meticulous attention to detail by also outfitting the watches with a bevelled sapphire crystal to mimic the crystal found on the original as well.

Cartier Privé Tank Normale yellow gold and platinum bracelet

A first for the Cartier Privé collection, the new Tank Normale watches, available in yellow gold and a platinum, will not only be available on a leather strap, but also on a bracelet as well. The seven piece brick links, with contrasting satin and polished finishes, are a clear nod to the ’70s and offer prospective buyers a rare chance to own such a vintage-derived aesthetic. The dial layout is, of course, all too familiar, but upon closer inspection you will notice beneath the hours and minutes hands (blued steel on the yellow gold model and steel on the platinum model) that the dial is vertically brushed – a subtle modern distinguishment. Again, this is a very faithful nod to the original design. Not a 1:1.

Cartier Privé Tank Normale skeleton platinum

With the point of the Privé collection being to faithfully modernize their “mythical” designs, the new collection offers a spectrum of pieces – four of which skew very close to the original design and skeletonized pair that emphasizes modernity within the contextual codes of the original shape and proportions. The skeletal architecture creates a sunburst effect with bridges, satinated and chamfered, raying out across the dial. This is not random. The skeletonised Normale watches, offered in yellow gold, platinum, and diamond-set platinum, have a day and night indication on the openworked dial.

Cartier Privé Tank Normale skeleton yellow gold

Looking at the image above, you may be confused by the outer hours scale. But, it all makes sense once you realise that the hours hand rotates around the dial once every 24 hours rather than every 12 (the minutes hand still makes a full rotation every hour). So, as the hours hand progresses around the dial it will move around the gradient outer edge making a complete rotation each day. Legible and aesthetically pleasing. Win, win.

Cartier Privé Tank Normale collection pricing and availability:

Cartier Privé Tank Normale skeleton diamond

The Cartier Privé Tank Normale collection is available now for inquiries. Price: TBA

Brand Cartier
Model Privé Tank Normale
Case Dimensions Normale: 25.7mm (D) x 32.6 (L2L)
Normale Skeleton: 27.8mm (D) x 35.2mm (L2L)
Case Material Normale: Yellow gold or platinum
Normale Skeleton: Yellow gold, platinum, diamond-set platinum
Water Resistance 30m
Dial Normale: White
Normale Skeleton: Openworked
Crystal Sapphire crystal
Bracelet/Strap Normale: Leather strap with ardillon buckle or case-matching bracelet
Normale Skeleton: Leather strap with ardillon buckle
Movement Normale: Manually wound calibre 070
Normale Skeleton: Manually wound calibre 9628 MC
Power Reserve 38 hours
Functions Hours, minutes
Availability Limited Editions
Normale: Yellow gold / platinum on strap (200 pcs.), on bracelet (100 pcs.)
Normale Skeleton: Yellow gold / platinum (50 pcs.), diamond-set platinum (20 pcs.)
Price TBA