Debuting in 1917 and released to the public in 1919, the Cartier Tank Normale was designed by Louis Cartier as the first Tank variant after he was inspired by the shape of the Renault tanks he saw on the Western Front during WWI. Perhaps one of the most recognizable pieces of horological design to ever be created, the Tank’s rectangular shape, svelte proportions, and timeless aesthetic have enabled it to earn a top spot within the horological hall of fame. Amongst the plethora of models that belong to this iconic collection is perhaps the purest distillation of its design, the Tank Normale that we have here. True to the original, this Tank Normale features the same classical white dial and case sides that Cartier’s original design had. These case sides, called “brancards”, extend past the horizontal portion of the Tank’s bezel and stretch to form its lugs as they curl down to hug the wrist. The same watch that Louis Cartier designed all those years ago, it was the Tank Normale that spawned the now-legendary collection and all of its associated models such as the Tank Francaise, Tank Cintree, Tank Louis, Tank Americaine and so on.

Offered as the first Tank all those years back in 1919, the Tank Normale is where the Tank began and arguably where modern horology was born, with its iconic design's impact on watchmaking still being felt to this day over 100 years later.