Sunday Morning Showdown: Cartier Tank Louis Cartier Vs. Tank Must SolarBeat
Welcome to another edition of Sunday Morning Showdown! This week, we have a face-off between two watches from the same house. It’s a battle of old versus new, gold versus steel, and most of all, unabashed luxury versus (relative) affordability. We would like to know which Cartier Tank you would spend your money on. Would it be the Tank Louis Cartier, also known as the Tank of Tanks? Or would you prefer the modern Tank Must SolarBeat? Which will be Fratello’s King of Tanks? It’s time to find out!
When wearing a Cartier, you are not merely wearing a watch. You are wearing a style statement. The brand’s creations are way too extravagant and stylish to be considered normal watches. On top of that, Cartier is often associated with royalty and celebrities. The combination of style and appeal makes Cartier one of the leading luxury brands in the world. That’s why we wanted to find out how you feel about two of La Maison’s watches when put up against each other. More specifically, we want to know which Tank would be your pick if you had to choose. Would it be Jorg’s royal Cartier Tank Louis Cartier, commonly considered the most iconic of all the Tank models? Or would you pick Daan’s Tank Must SolarBeat, a modern version of the Tank that combines the classic style with a solar-powered movement? It’s time for our writers to make their cases.
Last week’s Sunday Morning Showdown…
But before Daan and Jorg take over, let’s first take a quick look at last week’s Sunday Morning Showdown. In last week’s battle, Thomas’s Zodiac Sea-Chron took on Robert-Jan’s Tudor Black Bay Chrono. As it turns out, the Sea-Chron was no match for the popular Black Bay Chrono. The latter ended up winning with 73% of the votes, with 27% of the votes going to the Zodiac. But if there is one thing that stood out in the comments, it is that many of you do not like the thickness of both of these chronographs. It is an often-heard point of criticism for many chronographs in the same price bracket. Finding some thinner chronographs for a future battle is a nice thought. For now, though, let’s get to today’s battle of the Cartier Tanks. Take it away, gentlemen!
Image: Analog:Shift
Jorg: Cartier Tank Louis Cartier
Straight out of the gate, I have to admit that I adore Cartier when it comes to the design of the watches. The brand’s creations are original, instantly recognizable, and oozing with style. As I explained last week in our Top 5 list of current Cartier watches, the Cartier Privé Tank Normale in platinum on the bracelet was one of last year’s highlights. Another brilliant timepiece for me was 2021’s platinum Cloche de Cartier. These creations from the Privé collection show what makes the brand so incredibly special. The unmatched creativity in design is something that I will always love about Cartier.
Image: Analog:Shift
But when it comes to the true statement of Cartier style, in my mind, the Tank Louis Cartier is the only watch that qualifies. The Tank LC is the watch I think of when I think of Cartier. The late great George Cramer, a true Cartier connoisseur, stated in an article about the watch, “The Tank Louis Cartier is the King of Tanks.” It is only available in precious metals and is always set with a sapphire in the crown rather than a synthetic cabochon-shaped spinel like the Tank Must has. It is the ultimate statement from the Parisian brand.
Image: Analog:Shift
The current Tank Louis Cartier collection
Both of today’s contenders take inspiration from the Renault FT-17, a French tank used during the First World War, and both offer the same case size. They are Cartier’s Large models, measuring 33.7mm from lug to lug, 25.5mm in diameter, and 6.6mm thick. Despite the “Large” designation, these dimensions make our picks rather small in comparison to many of today’s watches. And because they are, I would always go for the standout precious-metal statement over a stainless steel Tank. For me, the only dilemma that the brand presents is the mix of metals, dials, and movements. The mechanical Tank Louis Cartier with the classic Roman-numeral dial is currently only available in rose gold. If you want a current-generation Tank Louis Cartier in yellow gold, the watch is only available with a quartz movement and this dial or with a mechanical movement and a plain black, blue, or green dial.
I prefer a Tank LC in yellow gold with the timeless silver-white Roman-numeral dial and mechanical caliber — that is my ultimate Cartier. However, as we do not have that option in today’s battle, the mechanical version in rose gold is the way to go. Cartier equips this King of Tanks with the brand’s caliber 1917 MC. This hand-wound movement gets its reference number from the year that Cartier was founded. Two years later, the Tank Louis Cartier was the second watch that Cartier released, following the Tank Normale. As such, both the design and the movement tell the Cartier story in true style. The tonneau-shaped movement operates at 21,600vph and offers 38 hours of power reserve.
Image: Analog:Shift
The purest Tank is a mechanical Tank Louis Cartier
Daan, I can already hear you saying that you never have to worry about the power reserve with Tank Must SolarBeat. But isn’t interacting with a Tank the ultimate reminder of how special it is? That’s what a Cartier watch should be about for me, Daan — celebrating the unique history in true Cartier fashion. I feel that a solar-powered Cartier cannot do the same thing. The practical advantages of the Tank Must SolarBeat are evident, but I don’t want practicality. Call me a purist, but that is not what I am interested in.
Image: Bucherer
I want the statement, the style, and the right historical feel when I wear a Tank. I want the Tank that Andy Warhol and Clarke Gable wore. And that is why I would gladly pay the €14,200 that the Cartier Tank Louis Cartier costs. When it comes to great style, there is no doing things halfheartedly. To quote George Cramer once more, “The Tank Louis Cartier will always be the elementary Tank for the ones who know where Cartier came from and for those who know what Cartier’s watchmaking is today!”
Daan: Cartier Tank Must SolarBeat
I completely agree with you and George, Jorg. The Tank Louis Cartier is the King of Tanks. But as you already mentioned, it’s also the Tank for connoisseurs and purists. I love the guilloché center of the dial and the fact that the watch comes in a precious metal. However, most people out there don’t care too much about those features. They simply want to make a (fashion) statement without having to spend over €14K to do so. And that’s exactly where the brilliance of the Cartier Tank Must SolarBeat comes in.
The previous version of the steel Tank was the Tank Solo. It featured flat brancards and a not-so-elegant bracelet if you opted for that. It was also a bit bigger than the previous Tanks. I think it was meant to attract more men to the Tank, but to me, it never really worked. Then came the current Tank Must. Its shape mirrors exactly that of the Tank Louis Cartier. The brancards are rounded again, and the sizes have also been adjusted. Even the bracelet got a very nice update, including a nifty quick-release system.
“Why didn’t I think of that?”
So, with the updated Cartier Tank Must, La Maison truly went back to the essence of the Tank. This was already really good news for fans of the watch and its design, but then came Cartier’s truly brilliant move. Cartier announced that, alongside a regular quartz version, the Tank Must would also be introduced with a solar-powered movement called the SolarBeat. Again, to me, this is such a genius decision. It’s a typical case of “why didn’t I think of that?” I wouldn’t mind my Tank having a regular quartz movement. But with a solar-powered movement, it suddenly becomes a much more compelling proposition.
Cartier advertises that the rechargeable battery inside will last you for over 15 years. That’s such a game changer for the people who are interested in buying or wearing this watch. Take, for example, my wife, to whom I gave a Tank Must SolarBeat for her 40th birthday. She’s not a watch enthusiast or purist at all. If I hadn’t given her this watch, she would still be wearing a Timex Datejust ripoff or no watch at all. But now that she has the Tank, she wears it every single day, and the great thing is that she doesn’t have to worry about it running out of battery for over a decade to come. She just needs to set it to summer and winter time every once in a while.
Even Andy Warhol would’ve loved it
In a way, this would’ve also been the perfect watch for Andy Warhol. He was often caught wearing his Tank while it wasn’t even running. It was simply a design or fashion statement. With the Tank Must SolarBeat, you never have to worry about winding it. In addition, the small trenches in the back of the lugs make it super easy to fit any strap in there. And even the quick-release bracelet is a no-brainer. The Cartier Tank Must SolarBeat is the perfect modern adaptation of the iconic Tank. The good thing is that it still looks as iconic as ever, and, at the same time, it’s also more user-friendly than ever.
Its brilliance hasn’t gone unnoticed, though. Ever since it was introduced, the Tank Must SolarBeat has been in high demand. It’s still quite difficult to find one in stores, and Cartier has raised its price considerably. When I bought the Small one for my wife, with the additional stainless steel bracelet, I paid a little under €3,000 for it. Right now, the price for the Small model on a vegan leather strap is set to €3,600, while the Large version costs €3,800. I guess that’s what you get when many people start asking for a particular watch. Of course, I can’t use the limited availability and price increase as an argument in its favor, but…
It’s still a lot more affordable than Jorg’s Tank Louis Cartier. That, in combination with its brilliant and user-friendly features, is why I think the Tank Must SolarBeat is the perfect Tank for most people out there.
Cast your votes
There you have it — two Cartier Tanks with the same case size but in different materials and with very different movements inside. It’s hard to hate either of them, but we’re sure you’ll have some kind of preference. Let us know if you’re a purist and would go for the Tank Louis Cartier, the ultimate Tank, or if you’d “settle” for the user-friendly and worry-free Tank Must SolarBeat. Make sure to cast your vote and leave your feedback down in the comments. And, of course, make sure to come back for another Sunday Morning Showdown next week!
