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Lot Essay
In 2022, Cartier reintroduced the distinctive Tank Chinoise as part of its celebrated Cartier Privé collection, marking the centenary of the model first unveiled in 1922. Conceived during a period of renewed European fascination with East Asian decorative arts, the Tank Chinoise drew its inspiration from traditional Chinese architecture. Its defining horizontal brancards evoke the pillars of temple gateways, while the square central opening symbolises a passage into an inner sanctuary, resulting in one of the most architecturally expressive interpretations of the iconic Tank.
Faithful to the spirit of the original while thoughtfully adapted for contemporary collectors, the 2022 Tank Chinoise retains its unmistakable design language with subtly refined proportions. Produced in yellow gold, pink gold, and platinum, each version features a slightly elongated rectangular case, departing from the near-square proportions of its predecessor. The collection also introduces elegant blued sword hands in place of the Breguet-style hands found on the 1922 model, lending the watch a more contemporary aesthetic while preserving its timeless identity.
Numbered 120 of a limited edition of 150 examples, the present Tank Chinoise is cased in 18K pink gold and features a beautifully executed silver sunburst dial, its radiating finish providing the perfect backdrop for the bold black Roman numerals. Elegant, historically significant, and produced in strictly limited numbers, it represents one of the most desirable modern interpretations of a Cartier design icon.
Faithful to the spirit of the original while thoughtfully adapted for contemporary collectors, the 2022 Tank Chinoise retains its unmistakable design language with subtly refined proportions. Produced in yellow gold, pink gold, and platinum, each version features a slightly elongated rectangular case, departing from the near-square proportions of its predecessor. The collection also introduces elegant blued sword hands in place of the Breguet-style hands found on the 1922 model, lending the watch a more contemporary aesthetic while preserving its timeless identity.
Numbered 120 of a limited edition of 150 examples, the present Tank Chinoise is cased in 18K pink gold and features a beautifully executed silver sunburst dial, its radiating finish providing the perfect backdrop for the bold black Roman numerals. Elegant, historically significant, and produced in strictly limited numbers, it represents one of the most desirable modern interpretations of a Cartier design icon.