Reference 2601 Tank Divan | A yellow gold and diamond-set wristwatch, Circa 2005
Cartier
Dial: silvered Caliber: cal. 157 quartz, 4 jewels Case: 18k yellow gold and diamond-set, case back secured by eight screws Case number: 26'599'0CE Closure: 18k yellow gold Cartier buckle Size: 31.5 x 25.5 mm Signed: case, dial, and movement Box: no Papers: no Louis Cartier was inspired by French industrialist and automobile industry pioneer Louis Renault’s ingenious feat of engineering and designed a timepiece to reflect the world’s first modern tank, the Renault FT, seen from above. The first prototype was presented as a gift to General John J. Pershing, and thus, the first Cartier Tank was born. The Tank was then introduced to the market in 1919. From the first Tank sprang a myriad of designs that went on to delight tastemakers of the 20th and 21st centuries. The Art Deco Movement and continued popularity of Chinoiserie in the 1920s and 1930s inspired a series of groundbreaking designs such as the Tank Cintrée, Tank Chinoise, Tank Obus Savonette, and Tank Basculante, many of which have been re-launched by Cartier in recent years to the delight of collectors. Fast forward five decades, another pivot in Cartier’s history came in the 1970s. With the introduction of battery powered Quartz movements by Seiko in 1969, the traditional watch industry was plunged into the Quartz Crisis. Suddenly, survival of the Swiss Watch industry was uncertain as inexpensive Quartz movements threatened to render it obsolete. Meanwhile, Cartier was going through a change of its own. Following the sale and fragmentation of Cartier’s global branches, the Maison’s three headquarters in New York, London and Paris were finally reunited under new management in 1976. Faced with slowing sales and the Quartz crisis, the Maison found its answer: Le Must de Cartier. Le Must collection was first launched in 1973 as a way to attract a new audience to the historic Maison and consisted of a line of fine writing instruments and leather goods. In 1977 Cartier launched the Tank Must as an affordable alternative to the Maison’s classic design that was crafted in gold plated sterling silver. The new Tank Must blew consumers away, and coupled with the success of Le Must de Cartier collection, cemented Cartier’s place as a powerhouse in the watch industry, and the luxury juggernaut we know and love today. In 2002 came another groundbreaking reimagination of the Cartier Tank: the Tank Divan. Flipped on its side, the Divan reoriented the rectangular shape of the Tank horizontally and took inspiration for its name from the elongated lounging couch that was prominent in the Ottoman Empire and grew popular in Europe in the 19th century. The Tank Divan was released in both quartz and automatic powered movement versions and due to its short run from 2002 to 2007, it is a rare and collectible iteration of the Tank. The present example bears clear and crisp engravings and assay marks, and features a yellow gold case exquisitely set with diamonds. Effortlessly chic and commanding a presence on the wrist, it represents an intriguing period in the iconic history of the Cartier Tank watches.
