Cartier Tank Louis Review: Does The Legend Still Hold Up?

The Cartier Tank is one of the most thoroughly and exhaustively discussed watches of all time. At one point or another, the Cartier Tank has been worn by JFK, Princess Diana, Ralph Lauren, Michelle Obama, Muhammad Ali, Andy Warhol… the list really goes on and on. The first Cartier Tank was a prototype worn by none other than U.S. General "Black Jack" Pershing, who was the commander of the Allied forces in World War I. And while the collection was formally debuted with the Tank Normale, it would be the Cartier Tank Louis that would go on to be synonymous with the iconic rectangular-cased watch. Of course, there is so much history and lore to get lost in with the Tank and our own resident expert, Mark Bernardo, did a complete job of it, which you can read here.

The Cartier Tank Louis is an Art Deco classic that has inspired countless imitators but, as with all great things, there is the real thing and then there’s everything else. 

Cartier Tank Louis Case 

The contemporary Cartier Tank Louis comes in a few different sizes, starting with the mini quartz which is 16.5mm wide, 6.2mm thick, and 24mm tall; to the small mechanical, which is 22mm wide, 6.8mm thick, and 29.5mm tall; to the size I will be reviewing here, which is the large manual-winding model, which is 25.5mm wide, 6.6mm thick, and 33.7mm tall. There is also the automatic Tank Louis that was introduced at this year’s edition of Watches & Wonders, which is 27.7mm wide, 8.18mm thick, and 38.1mm tall. When most people think of the quintessential Cartier Tank Louis, though, it is the large manual-wind model they are thinking of.

It’s funny to think that many people would consider the large Cartier Tank Louis seen here to be a relatively small watch by contemporary standards. Fortunately, there has been a recent renaissance of love for “smaller” watches, and I would venture to say that if you love the Tank in theory, but think the dimensions read too small, definitely go and try it on. It’s actually a pretty perfect size, at least in my opinion. It also wears nice and flat on the wrist thanks to that very slim case profile. Finally, there are modern touches like the quick-release strap change system that allow for some versatility. That said, the standard strap (19mm lug width) the Tank Louis comes on is pretty perfect, coming in a matte brown alligator with matching 18k rose-gold clasp.

Because society feels the need to classify everything into a category, the Cartier Tank Louis is safely given the "dress watch" label these days. Don’t let that fool you, though, as icons like Muhammad Ali and Andy Warhol wore one with a t-shirt or short sleeves and pulled it off just as well as they did in a suit.

The design of the Tank Louis case is really defined by three things that come together to create its iconic silhouette: obviously, the rectangular shape; then, the rounded brancards flanking either side of the case; and finally, the cabochon crown with knurled base. I know the cabochon crown is a little divisive but, frankly speaking, if it bothers you that much then you likely have already written off Cartier watches altogether.

Cartier Tank Louis Dial

One of the first things people hone in on about the dial of the Cartier Tank Louis isn’t really about the dial at all but rather about the crystal. This is because the watch has always used a mineral crystal rather than sapphire. Why? Mineral crystal has a very slightly domed effect and doesn’t cast a shadow or a reflection, unlike sapphire. So while it is less “practical” in terms of scratch resistance, the mineral crystal does a better job at letting you appreciate the dial than even double-sided sapphire crystal would. The photos in this article do a great job at demonstrating this because it almost appears as if there is no crystal at all, something nearly impossible with sapphire. So, it just goes to show that conventional wisdom isn’t always the be-all and end-all when it comes to this kind of minutiae.

The dial design itself is a classic that has stood the test of time, and is done here in a slightly warm silver with grained finish. From the center out you’ve got a lovely, stamped guilloché pattern that extends through to the minutes track, outside of which are the large stylized Roman numeral hour markers that frame the dial. I have always been a crank about Roman numerals (read here), but even I must admit that the funky Art Deco style is too iconic to not be respected. The blued hands are nice and legible against the dial, a plus that is made more easily appreciated due to the aforementioned mineral crystal.

There have been several wonderful takes on the Tank Louis dial over the years with my personal favorites being the “Mosaic” dial ref. WGTA0175 and ref. WGTA0176. These two are the best of modern Cartier, though their limited production numbers make them quite hard to find and they typically come with a premium if you do manage to find one. This year, Carter also introduced two sunray dial references in platinum and yellow gold, which were both quite breathtaking in person.

1917 MC Movement

The current-production Cartier Tank Louis uses the tonneau-shaped 1917 MC movement, a slim, manual-winding caliber that is the standard for the collection. Frankly, it’s nothing to write home about but it does get the job done, operating at 3Hz and a middling 38-hour power reserve. Cartier has never really been about the movements — and the enclosed caseback here reaffirms this — but there are Geneva stripes and perlage finishes on this one.

Final Thoughts

The Cartier Tank Louis is a timeless, solid gold dress watch from one of the most iconic luxury brands in the world, so the price of $13,500 shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. For comparison, if you’re set on a rectangular dress watch, then the only real competition here is the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Classic Monoface in pink gold, which will set you back $15,800. If you’re more loose with case shapes, you can expand the search into a Rolex Perpetual 1908, which costs quite a bit more, at $25,250 in yellow gold on a leather strap. In fact, you’re most likely either going to be spending quite a bit less or quite a bit more if you want to expand the search beyond that.

Really, there is not much left to say about the Cartier Tank Louis that hasn’t been said a thousand times already. This is an aspirational watch because of its history, the people who have worn it, and its status as one of the true “forever watches” that will most likely still be around long after any of us. You can learn more at cartier.com.