Circa. 1970s/80s Cartier Tank Louis 18ct Yellow Gold 78086
Ref: 78086
Specification
Lugs : 18mm
Condition : Pre-Owned
Box & Papers : Box
Case Material : 18ct Yellow Gold
Warranty : 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty
Points of Mention
This watch is sold with an original Cartier box; there are no original papers sold with this watch. The watch comes with a Cartier Service from September 2021 and a Cartier Demagnetisation in May 2022. The watch comes paired with an 18mm strap. The watch is from Circa. Late 1970s/Early 1980s and is sold in worn but fair condition, a personalised engraving has been filled and removed from the case back. The watch comes with our 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty.
The Watch
Here we have a Circa. 1970s/80s Cartier Tank Louis 78086 with a 23.5mm 18ct Yellow Gold case, this watch is part of the Louis Collection and draws on its heritage incorporating its characteristic “Tank” design aesthetic and see’s a return to the magic of a refined mechanical movement. The symmetrical elegance of its 18ct Yellow gold case is inspired by their original Tank of 1922, its slim profile ends with soft rounded corners and screwed-down lugs and a lug-to-lug length of 30.5mm and a case thickness of just 6.5mm ensures a comfortable fit on the wrist. Polished surfaces throughout catch the light beautifully as you rotate your wrist, on the right side is a crown with a cabochon inset, a slightly domed crystal sits above a striking white dial. Large precisely executed black Roman numerals for the hours radiate from an inner minute track, elegant 18ct Yellow Gold sword hands complete the sophisticated dial. On the reverse, we have an 18ct Yellow Gold brushed screwed-down case back engraved and stamped with the relevant gold hallmarks, inside a manually wound Cartier Cal. 78-1, based on the ETA 2512-1 movement. 17 jewels, 21,600 beats per hour. Fitted on an 18mm leather strap and the watch comes with a Cartier presentation box and service paperwork from Cartier in 2021.
Personal Note
For me this is THE perfect Cartier Tank, the proportions on the wrist just ooze class and scream everything the Cartier Tank should be! People often say that this case size is too small for them, I honestly believe after a bit of wrist time you'd not only become used to the size, but you'll also end up preferring it! Also, Mohammad Ali wore a "small" Cartier Tank, I don't know about you, but I wouldn't have told him in his prime that the watch was too small...
The Brand
In 1847 Louis-Francois Cartier founded Cartier in Paris, France. He quickly established himself within the aristocracy of society. In 1903 he created their first men's wristwatch, inspired by his pilot friend Alberto Santos-Dumont, who called it the Santos. In 1907 Cartier began a partnership with Edmond Jaeger of the pre-eminent watch brand Jaeger-LeCoultre. Jaeger agreed to become the exclusive supplier of watch movements for Cartier. In 1917 they debuted the Tank. Their watches were so popular that copies soon appeared to counteract this. Cartier introduced reference numbers to each watch. In 1919 they introduced the Tank which was inspired by the robust American tank used in the first world war. It has been famously worn by many over the years including Andy Warhol, Alain Delon, Clarke Gable, Catherine Deneuve and Duke Ellington. The early watches were all handmade in France, with movements by Jaeger. In 1972, a group of investors led by financial wizard Joseph Kanoui bought the company. In 1973 we saw the first “Must de Cartier” boutique open in Biarritz, followed by one in Singapore. During the 1980s they acquired several non-jewellery businesses such as Beaume et Mercier in 1988 and Piaget and Alderbert in 1989. During the 1980s they acquired several non-jewellery businesses such as Beaume et Mercier in 1988 and Piaget and Alderbert in 1989.