Since 2015, Cartier has been releasing its legendary timepieces in Limited and Numbered variations. This year, the Tank Asymetrique joins the Crash, Tank Cintrée, and Tonneau as part of Cartier Privé.

Now one of Cartier’s iconic models, the Tank timepiece, with its rectangular silhouette, was introduced in 1917. In 1936, a new iteration of the Tank made its debut, and yep, that’s the Tank Asymetrique, also known at the time as Parallélogramme or Losange, due to its unique shape, which was at that time, not at all seen before. True to its moniker, Cartier turned everything 30 degrees to the right, with 12 placed in the upper-right corner, and 6, directly opposite it. Instead of Roman numerals, Cartier this time, used Arabic numerals, and only in the even digits. Yep, so the Tank Asymetrique doesn’t have the usual 3 and 9 like most clocks and watches –what you’d instead find on the dial are the numbers, 12, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10. With its special shape, came the need for the development of a specific strap. When worn on the wrist, the wearer actually doesn’t actually have to flick his/her wrist to tell the time, making this not just an extraordinary timepiece in terms of design, but also practical and purposeful.

The 2020 Cartier Privé edition of the Tank Asymetrique retains its original silhouette, but refined with the newer Manufacture 1917 MC manual winding movement, and a more modern dial and Arabic numerals. This new iteration is available in pink gold with a grey dial and strap, yellow gold with a Champagne dial and brown strap, and platinum with a silver-coloured dial, ruby cabochon and grey strap, all of which come as 100 piece Limited Editions.

And then of course, comes the show stopping Tank Asymétrique Skeleton equipped with the 9623 MC movement, visible at the centre of the bare structure. Available in pink gold on a brown or grey strap; in platinum on a blue or black strap, and in a gem-set platinum version on a black or blue glossy strap, these straps are made to measure and fitted with an ardillobn buckle which is a rare find. Also limited to 100 pieces each, the Tank Asymétrique Skeleton is without a doubt, our absolute favourite!

Images courtesy of Cartier