Cartier’s Tank watch was first introduced in 1917 as the first ever rectangular shaped watch during that era, and till this day, remains one of the Maison’s iconic  timepieces. The Must watch, yet another classic piece that is very much a part of the Maison’s heritage, made its debut in 1977, in vermeil and either a burgundy or all black dial with a large gold-coloured logo.

This year, Cartier marries 2 of these icons, the Tank and the Must. Inspired by the Tank Louis Cartier, the Tank Must has rounded brancards, and revisited dial proportions, a pearled cabochon winding crown and the return of the original ardillobn buckle on the leather strap version. The new, reworked Tank Must comes in 3 monochromatic colours: red, blue, or  green lacquered dials, without any Roman numerals, or “rail-tracks”, complete with a matching alligator strap. Available in one size only (large).

Though a quartz movement, it’s powered with a photovoltaic dial, created by the Manufacture at La Chaux-de-Fonds, that negates the need to have its batteries changed or replaced. This was made possible by creating invisible perforations of the Roman numerals, whose openings would then allow solar energy to reach the photovoltaic cells hidden beneath the dial. After 2 years of R&D, this SolarBeat™ movement with a 16-year lifespan, is for the first time, integrated into the Tank Must. Its leather strap, is instead made from vegan leather this time, with 40% plant matter, produced from using wastes from apples grown for the food industry in Switzerland, Germany and Italy, thereby reducing the Maison’s carbon footprint by 6 times, with over 10 litres of water and 7 megajoules of energy saved, compared to what is needed to craft the usual calfskin strap.

The Tank Must with the Roman numerals is available in calfskin straps or steel bracelets in 3 sizes (XL, L, and S), or in Large and Small with 42 brilliant-cut diamonds, as well as the versions in pastel or black vegan leather straps.

Images courtesy of Cartier