Quintessentially Cartier, the Tank Cintrée is a formal watch full of simplicity and elegance. The large, curved case defines the Cintrée, making it the boldest of Tank models and supposedly suited for modern tastes. The platinum case of the new Tank Cintrée measures a familiar 46mm by 23mm, but Cartier has made it slightly thinner than previous iterations, now measuring 6mm thick. As with vintage Tank Cintrée examples, the long brancards are polished, while the horizontal sides are brushed.
A ruby is set in the cabochon crown. As Cartier fans will know, Cartier often reserves this combination of materials for anniversary celebrations, and it says this release celebrates 100 years of the Tank Cintrée in platinum. Cartier already celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Cintrée model two years ago, so I could do without the tenuous anniversary celebration. Still, you can’t deny it makes for a beautiful watch.
It’s powered by the Cartier caliber 9780 MC, which is actually the ultra-thin Jaeger-LeCoultre 849. The movement measures just 1.85mm thick, which accommodates the thin, curved case of the Cintrée. The only compromise comes in its relatively short 36-hour power reserve.