Described by Kind Edward VII as “the jeweller of kings and the king of jewellers”, the Cartier brand is nothing short of iconic. Yes, the Maison have a frankly exquisite repertoire of work in precious gems and rare metals but it is their artistry in watchmaking that marries the two in a way that only Cartier can. It carries a list of clientele that has included royalty, presidents, celebrities and more, the largest ever order of which was actually made by an Indian Maharaja!
Founded in 1847 by Francois Louis Cartier, the maker would stamp what was officially the world’s first men’s wristwatch in 1904. Made for Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos Dumont, the Cartier Santos is one of the most important watches in history, an undebatable fact although whether or not Santos Dumont actually made the first flight is still up for questioning. Over a hundred and twenty years have passed since its debut, yet, a modern day Santos is simply an evolution of its predecessor. The product of a design so perfect at birth that it has remained both relevant and desirable for well over a century, with only the subtlest of changes made in that time period. To have one such masterstroke in a lifetime is an achievement, two, surely an impossible feat? Not to Cartier because thirteen years after the birth of the Santos, the brand unveiled the Tank to the world in 1917.
Inspired by Renault’s FT-17 tanks used in World War One, the Cartier Tank demonstrated an exemplary use of geometry. A rectangular case with extended sides meant to emulate caterpillar tracks, set on a leather strap, resulting in what is quite possibly one of the most mimicked wristwatches in the business. Where the Santos makes a grand announcement with its chrome bezel and glistening bracelet, the Tank whispers its imminent arrival with a tanned leather strap and a reserved watch face. Make no mistake, I absolutely adore the Santos as well but the two are designed for very different occasions. Simplicity is where the Tank shines. It doesn’t need an infinitely complex automatic movement or a busy dial to stand out. A quartz movement and a clean dial offer you one of the most elegant watches you could ever have.
My love letter to Cartier now penned, I can proceed with the journey of my latest watch purchase.
Yes, I love watches in case you haven’t noticed. I like the fact that whilst functional, they are also an expression of oneself and one’s style. The traditional analogue wristwatch is of particular enjoyment to me because it’s a piece of jewelry that a self respecting man can wear and is also a modern day symbol of ‘punk rock’ if you will, rebelling against the need for your wrist gear to track your sleep and notify you of every email/post/message etc. There’s also an element of sentimentality to it because my watches don’t just tell time, they tell a story. Each one reminding me either of certain people or certain achievements in my life, all with a purpose that justifies its existence on my wrist.
As a serial bracelet watch wearer, I’ve always desired a Santos and so never really took notice of the Tank as they commonly carry leather straps. Although, as 2025 culminated, I had arguably the busiest year of my life by far, juggling a full-time role with a business and a New Zealand television debut alongside Dave & Harry with the Tarmac Life TV Show. It felt only fair to mark this milestone with a watch and there were enough significant events to justify one of a certain calibre. My hunt initially began with a Longines Master but as I delayed the purchase, more options came to light. One fine day, I ambitiously sought Cartier’s offerings and a peruse through pre-owned watch dealers saw me land upon a Tank Must in Claret (WSTA0054). Instantly, my heart was set on this piece and once that is the case, my brain has no hope of convincing me otherwise, see why I own an Alfa Romeo now!
Aware of what the Tank Must Claret commanded on the pre-owned market, I turned to the new catalogue. From all of my research, I deduced that this particular model was only made over two or three years so finding one new at a boutique might be hard work. Although thanks to its exclusivity, values were holding well and so a pre-owned one was not that far off the cost of buying brand new, if you could find one. Anyway, an upcoming Christmas trip to Sydney presented the perfect opportunity to do some perusing.
While on holiday, I stopped by ‘The Hour Glass’ in Sydney and surely enough, there was one there. A brief try on had me relatively unimpressed I have to say, the shape was a little awkward and the colour probably wasn’t quite as vibrant as I had imagined it would be. In saying that, Hayley, the Brand Specialist delivered an outstanding sales process to me, matching my enthusiasm along the way and respecting my reservations about the watch. In the end, I decided to delay the purchase once again. Days turned into a week and I just couldn’t get this watch out of my head, remember what I said about desires of the heart earlier? But still, I hesitated and hedged, it would take nothing short of divine intervention to tip me over the edge.
Now into 2026 and still in Sydney, a family day trip was planned to visit the Church of St. Mary MacKillop of the Cross, Australia’s only Catholic Saint. Whilst this journey took us within a stone’s throw of the CBD, I figured another trip to ‘The Hour Glass’ was in order, maybe this Claret Tank Must would appear more convincing the second time over? Now, this decision had been weighing on my mind for a week at this point and when I ordered a coffee at the Church’s cafe, I was not expecting the barista to hand me a complimentary biscuit, the wrapping of which had a message on it, “if you’re looking for a sign, this is it.” There was the divine intervention I sought, wrapped up and placed in the palm of my hands. So, I dragged my loving family onto the next train into town and straight to the Cartier boutique, a sequence of events that I cannot image have been strung together before!
Although now aware that ‘The Hour Glass’ had one in stock, I was chancing my luck to see if Cartier would. However, the Brand Specialist there told me she hadn’t seen a Claret Tank Must in years so reduced to one option, I dragged my loving family across town once again to the aforementioned boutique, walked straight up to the Cartier display and informed the Specialist there of my impending purchase, easiest sale he’ll probably ever make, short of a Rolex Submariner!
Again, I wasn’t smitten with the watch but the deal was done, a neat sum of my hard earned dollars exchanged for a red box with ‘Cartier’ etched onto it, in gold writing of course. In the weeks since, I have grown more fond of the Tank and would easily credit it with being the most beautiful piece in my current collection.
There’s a certain allure that the Tank carries, the rectangular face, the sapphire cabochon and claret coloured dial/strap combination. It’s simple in the way that it holds a quartz movement and with no markers on the dial, just two lines of text exist, one that says ‘Cartier’ and the other ‘Swiss Made’. Although the sharply cut sword shaped hands are beautiful, the time is often twenty to not a clue, but, I love this piece and though I now pair the Tank at least once or twice a week with my formal workwear, doing up the strap still feels like an occasion, a credible litmus test for such a purchase. Not to mention that each time I glimpse at its presence on my wrist, I’m reminded of the memorable year that was 2025.
Thanks for reading! For more gear news and reviews, visit Tarmac Life.
Words and pictures by Matthew D’Souza and a special shoutout to Hayley from The Hour Glass Sydney.
