The Cartier Tank Must is a classic. The design is damn near perfect as a dress watch and instantly adds a little elegance to the moment.
At first I thought the quartz movement would take away from the feeling of wearing it but I realized a quartz movement is ideal for this kind of watch. You never need to wind it up (which is great since the Tank is less likely to be worn every day) and the battery will last years (low/no maintenance). You’re not missing anything because there is no seconds hand (the smooth sweep of the seconds hand is part of the appeal of mechanical watches).
The Tank is the exact opposite of the other watch I own, the Sinn u50. Where the Sinn is a bit brutalist in it’s design, the Cartier is sophisticated and refined. They play off each other very well as an everyday watch and going out watch.
I ended up choosing the large size as it’s a slightly more modern interpretation of the Tank than the more traditional small size. I personally don’t think the XL versions look good—it’s too large loses some of the elegance as a result. The large will still feel small if you are coming from a ~40mm sports watch but using a sports watch as a gauge for sizing the Tank is a mistake—you need to take it for what it is.
Overall, what more is there to say. It’s 100+ year old design that remains nearly unchanged for good reason.
Links to this note
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The Lorca Model 1 is a romantic watch. It blends elements of several iconic watches that remind me of a time I never lived through. It’s a thoughtful combination of specs and details that make the watch charming and unique.
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The Sinn U50 Is a Time Fortress
I bought the Sinn u50 automatic watch in February 2022 and have worn it every day since.
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Watches Remind Us of Who We’Ve Never Been
In Talking Watches with John Mayer and Ed Sheeran, the two musical artists talk about their careers and the stories behind their collection of watches. John neatly summarized the romanticism about watches when he said, “I like watches that remind me of who I’ve never been.”