Cartier’s Latest Tanks’ New Colorways
Black dial Tank Louis Cartier and Tank Must watches grow the Maison’s monochromatic trend
Written by Theo Baker
June 10, 2022
Last year, esteemed jeweler and watchmaker Cartier took the market by storm with the release of their then latest, the Cartier Tank Must. The watch channeled the original Must line of the 1970s, launched during the vintage era to attract a younger generation of consumers to the luxury brand at a new, entry-level price point. The modern Tank Must, like the vintage, followed suit, being positioned as a suave, entry point into the world of Cartier, complete with a monochromatic dial in three colorways, the famed Tank silhouette, and all the wonder and perceived prestige that comes with owning a watch by none other than the Maison.
This year, capitalizing upon this success, Cartier is expanding the popular Must line by introducing a new black dial variation. The black dial joins the already present green, red, and blue monochromatic dial options— each of which are in incredible demand and already quite difficult to quickly locate if you were planning on adding it to your collection. The black dial option also notably brings a permanent presence of the colorway into Cartier’s catalogue, following-up on a very similar Geneva-only black dial edition released last year. Additionally, Cartier is expanding its monochromatic offerings past the Must line alone, now offering another black dial option in a Tank Louis Cartier. This model is differentiated from the original Must collection via its gold (as compared to steel) case and mechanical (as compared to quartz) movement.
The Tank Must
Taking a closer look at the new Cartier Tank Must, we find a watch incredibly similar to the 2021-editions. In this regard, the watch features the iconic Tank silhouette available in both large and small sizes, both measuring very slim against the wrist at just over 6.6mm.
The key difference in this model is its deep noir dial, with the style both experimental in its monochrome colorway yet simultaneously more traditional in comparison to its red, blue, and green predecessors. This duality allows the watch to stand out in its uniqueness while blending in easily with its color and versatility. Its under the radar steel case, reliable quartz caliber, and sapphire cabochon accented crown add to this nice mix of high and low, together ensuring a comfortable and happy entry point for enthusiasts to enter the world of Cartier.
The Tank Louis Cartier
The second model doesn’t join Cartier’s entry-level Must series, but rather the brand’s premier Tank Louis Cartier line. The watch, like the Must, features a monochromatic black dial with the brand’s famed Tank silhouette, yet unlike the Must, this watch is encased completely in a contrasting yellow gold and is available only in the brand’s large sizing. Inside, the Cartier caliber 1917 MC powers the simple dial configuration, with the second-less display steadily sweeping along via the manual movement’s 38-hours of power reserve.
As is obvious, the Tank Louis Cartier is an impressively simple watch. Harkening back to the simple Must forms of the vintage series and their gold-plated cases, the watch elevates the style with solid gold and updated manufacturing. Like the modern black-dial Must, the watch pairs a supremely bold style—here in colorway—with an understated elegance via its traditional Tank design. The watch is at once casual and elegant, being particularly versatile no matter the occasion.
Price and Availability
Both the Cartier Tank Louis Cartier and Tank Must are expected to become available this year via authorized Cartier boutiques and dealers. Pricing for the Tank Must is yet undisclosed, though is likely to be similar to the colored dial models around $2,930 USD, while the Louis Cartier is tentatively marked at $12,800 USD.
