Cartier Tank Anglaise A Crowning Achievement

The year 2012 will be noted in horological history as the year in which the English  joined ranks with French and Americans as part of the Tank Collection. Tank Angliase Collection exudes a rich boldness accompanied by a softening of lines, 
greater girth and sensual elegance.
The nine-sided Crown holds a position of prominence adjustable and visible via an aperture in the bezel.
Models sporting diamonds are awarded with a crown capped in a brilliant cut diamond - like an exquisite hat  the British so love to wear at the races.
In the Medium and Large Models the crown serves to wind the movement and set the date and time. 

Models without diamonds, but no less wondrous, are set with a sapphire crystal cabochon.  For those who like their watches big and burly, but still hang onto elegance with a fast grip, Cartier has provided a Tank Angliase with dimensions of 36.2 mm wide and 47mm tall while still maintaining a slender 9.82 mm  thickness.

Cartier has great confidence in this new collection unveiling a wide range of collection selection.  The Tank Angliase is available in  small, medium and large and in white, red or yellow gold.  Some models are smothered in diamonds across dial, bezel and bracelet, others have diamonds on either side of the dial, and some have no diamonds, but achieve  sparkle about the wrist none the less.

The movement within this collection also comes in a variety of options depending on the wearers preference. Quartz Caliber Cartier 057 powers the smallest timepiece and is more common for the ladies.   A few Automatic Calibers are used in this collection: Caliber Cartier 077 -  used in Tank Americaine and Caliber 076 - used in Cartier Santos and Ballon Bleu de Cartier. For the largest models, Cartier utilizes its own in-house 1904 MC movement. 1904 is the year Cartier fashioned a wrist watch for Santos-Dumont. A pilot who played a large role in popularizing the wrist watch - Read The Man Who Started the Wrist Watch Trend.

The Cartier in-house 1904 MC made its 2010 debut powering the Calibre de Cartier wristwatch, and now it powers a Tank. Cartier uses the term "workshop crafted" which stresses precision and in-house craftsmanship. This movement has a 48 hour power reserve enabled by two mainspring barrels and ceramic ball bearings to maximize the functionality of the rotor.
The great achievement of this movement requires an audience and audience it has via a scratch resistant Sapphire crystal case back.

The Tank Anglaise is water resistant to 100 feet. The small quartz models in red and yellow retail at $22,100, the white gold is slightly more pricey at $23,700. Medium automatic models retail at $31,000.  Large models with the exclusive 1904 MC movement straddle the $40,000 mark. Expect price increase with diamonds.

In 2017, the Cartier Tank will celebrate its 100th birthday and I am sure the Cartier Angliase will be high up in the Cartier ranks.

Cartier History:

Cartier was founded in 1847 by Louis-Franois ,an apprentice in the jewelry workshop of his master, Adolphe Pickard. Louis had an eye for style, elegance and pristine craftsmanship. In time he took over the business located in Paris at 29 Montorgueil. As troubles in Paris subside, people want exquisite well-crafted jewelry. Louis' workshop increases in size and soon he draws his own clientèle. Cartier is booming and a new venue is required. Cartier moves to 9 boulevard des Italians in the midst of the Parisian hustle and bustle.
Cartier becomes the master jeweler to Europe's Crowned heads. Opening jewelry stores in Great Britain and New York (1917), Cartier prestige grew.

Cartier (New York) moved into 653 Fifth Avenue in 1917 purchased from Mr Plant for $100 and a pearl necklace valued at One Million Dollars. Today this mansion has been given the title of NYC Landmark and the corner renamed "Place de Cartier"

In 1904 Cartier introduced it first true wristwatch, designed by Louis and named for Alberto Santos Dumont, a Brazilian aviator. In 1906 Cartier began to place jewels on the wristwatch blurring the lines between a piece of jewelry and a watch.
True to his brilliant innovative mind, in 1910 Louis created and patented the deployment folding clasp, still used by many watchmakers today.

 In 1917 Cartier introduced the Tank Watch, a popular collection till today. The Tank Watch derived its name in tribute to the Allied Tank Commanders who helped defend France in World War I.