205 Cartier An impressively rare, highly important and very collectible, Tank Allongée, manual wristwatch in white gold, with eagle's beak lugs and silver French dial.

Estimate: € 50.000 –⁠ 100.000

• Model Tank Allongée
• Year Late 1950s
• Case Material 18K white gold
• Case Number 43'086
• Bracelet Material Leather strap
• Movement Manual, 15 jewels
• Movement Number 437'332
• Dimension 22mm width x 30mm length
• Signed Case, dial and movement

Among the most elusive and intellectually compelling interpretations of the Tank, the Tank Allongée stands apart as a study in proportion pushed to its limit. Conceived during the interwar period, it stretches the familiar Tank silhouette into an elongated form that feels both radical and perfectly resolved.
The present white gold example is exceptionally rare, from a production that was never standardized nor widely commercialized. Often made in very small numbers on a bespoke basis, the Allongée was intended for a discreet, avant-garde clientele, and today appears only sporadically, largely within major collections or important auctions. The case, with its slender, vertically extended proportions, offers a dramatic yet refined presence. Elongated brancards emphasize height, evoking Art Deco architecture, while the white gold adds a layer of understated sophistication.
The dial is pure Cartier classicism, with Roman numerals adapted to the stretched geometry, a chemin-de-fer minute track, and elegant blued hands. Despite its extreme proportions, the layout remains precise, resulting in a calm, legible, and harmonious composition. Historically, the Tank Allongée occupies a fascinating niche within the broader Tank lineage. It is neither a functional variation nor a commercial evolution, but rather a stylistic statement, proof of Cartier’s willingness to experiment boldly with form while remaining anchored to its core design language.
Today, a white gold Tank Allongée is a connoisseur’s Tank par excellence: rare, intellectually refined, and visually unforgettable. It rewards close study, embodying Cartier at its most creative and uncompromised.