Introducing the New Cartier Tank Cintree Limited Edition In Platinum

September 18, 2023

In 2021, Cartier marked the 100th anniversary of the Tank Cintre by releasing a gold limited edition. This year, Cartier has introduced a new limited Tank Cintre that faithfully captures the model's lineage, but now in platinum. It's not a reissue of any specific Tank Cintre but takes inspiration from its heritage to create a modern watch full of vintage appeal. Quintessentially Cartier, the Tank Cintre is a formal watch full of simplicity and elegance. The large, curved case defines the Cintre, making it the boldest of Tank models and supposedly suited for modern tastes. The platinum case of the new Tank Cintre measures a familiar 46mm by 23mm, but Cartier has made it slightly thinner than previous iterations, now measuring 6mm thick. As with vintage Tank Cintre examples, the long brancards are polished, while the horizontal sides are brushed.A ruby is set in the cabochon crown. As Cartier fans will know, Cartier often reserves this combination of materials for anniversary celebrations, and it says this release celebrates 100 years of the Tank Cintre in platinum. Cartier already celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Cintre model two years ago, so I could do without the tenuous anniversary celebration. Still, you can't deny it makes for a beautiful watch.It's powered by the Cartier caliber 9780 MC, which is actually the ultra-thin Jaeger-LeCoultre 849. The movement measures just 1.85mm thick, which accommodates the thin, curved case of the Cintre. The only compromise comes in its relatively short 36-hour power reserve.? This is the fourth launch from what Cartier calls its Les Rditions, its effort to release re-editions of some of its historically important and collector-favorite watches. The program started in 2021 with the Tank Cintre 100th Anniversary and Pasha Perpetual Calendar, followed last year by the Pebble. All are faithful recreations of vintage models in limited editions, driving collectors wild, and I expect this year's platinum Tank Cintre will be no different. The dial is an off-white eggshell with large Roman numerals surrounding the rail tracks. On the 7 o'clock Roman numeral, a thin serif hooks around the path of the rail track C this is something you'll also see on vintage Tank Cintre examples, and it's nice to see Cartier continue to execute even these tiny details. The Breguet-style hands are a final vintage touch. The Cintre has always been the most desirable of Tanks because of its rarity and large but refined shape. And among Cintres, platinum is king. Earlier this year, a restored vintage platinum Cintre sold for $350,000.Cartier is producing the platinum Tank Cintre in a limited edition of 150 numbered pieces, with a retail price of $38,500. What We Think Cartier introduced the Tank in 1919, and the Cintre came along in 1921 as the first variation of its now-iconic model. Large and curvy, it's everything the original Tank (Normale) wasn't. Despite its large size C?even larger considering the times C its thin case draped across the wrist like a cuff. Cartier would go on to produce various other Tank models, but none matched the Tank Cintre. Sometimes, you get it right the first time.?This latest platinum Cartier Tank Cintre is gorgeous. It's perhaps the best platinum Tank Cintre Cartier has produced in (relatively) large production numbers. At least, it's the most faithful to the original Tank Cintre watches from the 1920s and '30s, so it's the most beautiful if that's your thing (like it is mine). Cartier has translated all the details we loved about the 100th-anniversary Cintre into a slightly thinner platinum case. It also made the dial a few shades lighter to match the white-metal case. The thinness of the Cintre stands in contrast to its super-sized case, and this is what's always made it so tempting to collectors. This latest edition does nothing to disrupt that balance, keeping the same dimensions seen in Cintres released in 2005, 2018, and 2021. 1920s platinum Tank Cintre on bracelet. Image: Courtesy of Phillips Besides those couple of tweaks, the platinum Cintre doesn't make any significant changes to the 100th anniversary Cintre. But if it ain't broke.While other Cartier shaped watches have experienced hyperbolic hype over the past few years, the Tank Cintre has, mercifully, been left relatively unscathed by the culture of celebrity. And it's probably best that way. The Tank Cintre in platinum is the king of Tanks, if not of all Cartier watches. It's big and bold on the wrist, but also rare and elegant, the perfect combination for uber-collectibility.?Born in 1921, it's no passing fad, much too regal to be relegated to celebrity watch spotting on Page Six.? When seeing this announcement, I assumed the price would be more than $50,000 after last year's aggressively priced Pebble ($44,000). I was relieved to see it's $38,500, though that's perhaps more an indication of how much watch prices have increased across the board than anything else. The price is logical compared to 2021's 100th Anniversary Cintre ($29,900). It has more in common with that watch than the 2018 platinum Cintre LE, which measured more than a millimeter thicker.That said, when a vintage platinum Cintre is now a six-figure proposition, and that's if you can even find one, perhaps the price isn't so bad. Monetary considerations aside, it's a beautiful execution of the Tank Cintre, and with the continued interest in vintage Cartier watches, it's hard to imagine a few thousand bucks will stand in the way of all 150 of these watches being quickly accounted for by collectors.? The Basics Brand: CartierModel: Tank Cintre Les RditionsDiameter: 46m x 23mmThickness: 6.03mmCase Material: PlatinumDial Color: EggshellWater Resistance: NoStrap/Bracelet: Black alligator leather with pin buckle The Movement Caliber: Cartier caliber 9780 MCFunctions: Hours and minutesDiameter: 20.2mThickness: 1.85mmPower Reserve: 36 hoursWinding: ManualFrequency: 21,600 beats per hourJewels: 19Additional Details: Based on Jaeger-LeCoultre caliber 849 Pricing & Availability Price: $38,500Availability: Fall 2023Limited Edition: Yes, 150 numbered pieces