Cartier, London
Tank Louis | A yellow gold wristwatch | Circa 1976
Auction Closed
May 11, 11:29 AM GMT
Estimate
15,000 - 30,000 CHF
Lot Details
Description
Dial: white
Calibre: manual winding, jewelled
Case: 18k yellow gold, case back secured by 4 screws
Case number: 1’848
Closure: 18k yellow gold Cartier folding clasp stamped JC and 1848
Size: 23.5 x 31 mm
Signed: case and dial signed Cartier, movement signed Jaeger LeCoultre
Box: yes
Papers: no
Accessories: Cartier service and insurance documents dated 1993 and presentation case
Please note the leather strap derived from endangered species is for display purposes only and is not sold with the watch. The watch will be shipped with a Sotheby’s branded calf leather strap.
Under the creative direction of Jean Jacques Cartier, the Cartier London workshop emerged as a bastion of experimentation and boldness. While Paris and New York held their own in the world of luxury, it was London that pushed the boundaries, daring to challenge the status quo of watchmaking culture. Here, larger case sizes and unconventional designs flourished, defying convention and captivating the imagination of connoisseurs worldwide.
The Tank had already existed for some time, but in typical London style Jean Jacques Cartier sought to refine and develop the already iconic model. Slimming down the depth of the case, by using spring bars and screws hidden between the lugs, they were able to remove the large screws which took up space on the case bands and present a sleeker more elegant piece which sat more flush to the wrist.