165 Cartier Extremely Fine and Elegant, Tank Basculante, Rectangular-shape Wristwatch in Gold With Silver Roman Numbers Dial, Cabriolet System
Estimate: €25,000 – 50,000
Sold (Premium)€36,400
Model: Tank Basculant
Case Material: Yellow Gold
Bracelet Material: Leather strap
Year: 1940’s
Movement: Manual
Case N°: 51 643
Dimensions: 19 × 32 mm
Signed: Dial, movement and case
The Tank Basculante is one of the most iconic designs from Cartier. It was originally created in the 1930s for polo players. The model has seen very little evolution over its 90-year lifetime. It was mostly produced in precious metal with a manual winding movement or in stainless steel with a quartz movement. However, the lot here offered is one of the very vintage examples made around the ’40s, still with manual winding and smooth dial. Fully realized in 18k yellow gold, the four-body polished and brushed the case, with reeded winding crown at 6 o’clock, bezel and rounded lugs are nicely preserved with clear and deep engraved serial numbers and hallmarks. The smooth white dial has classical painted radial Roman numbers with inner 5 minutes tracks and blue steel sward hands.