The Cartier Tank Chinoise ('Chinese') was originally released in 1922, when high-society's love affair for everything 'Far Eastern' was in full swing. Inspired by Chinese architecture, it features parallel horizontal 'bars' that evoke the imagery of mysterious Chinese temples. While the original version (as with Cartier's other early watches) was extremely limited, Cartier produced more of these watches under the 'Collection Privee' line in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Cartier re-released the Tank Chinoise more recently in 2022. It refreshes the design, changing the case from a square to a rectangle. The bezel is also now partially brushed, matching the sunburst texture of the dial. The resulting design is more complex, while very much maintaining the spirit of the original.

CARTIER

Described by King Edward VII as 'the jeweller of kings and the king of jewellers', Cartier is synonymous with perhaps more iconic designs than any other manufacturer. Sitting at the intersection between fine watchmaking and art, Cartier combines decades of heritage with an ability to create original and attractive watch designs.

From its birth in the 19th Century up to today, Cartier has earned a well-deserved reputation for being a manufacture that has successfully transformed the humble wristwatch from a soldier's tool into a true object of desire.