Introducing: A Return Of The Cartier Tank a Guichets

February 11, 2016

I am always torn between the Tank Basculante and the Tank Guichets when it comes to picking my favorite rectangular Cartier. No, come to think of it, I am not torn at all. The Cartier Tank Guichets is my favorite by some margin. Well, lucky me! Today, we see the reintroduction of arguably the oddest version of the iconic Tank.Three regular-production models make their debut today in rose gold, yellow gold, and platinum. A fourth edition - also in platinum - will see only 200 units produced. Lets have a closer look!Cartier Tank Guichets historyThe place to start this article is probably the French word guichets. It translates to windows or counters, as in a counter where you would place an order. That pretty much sums it all up, doesnt it? You can pick up your hours at the counter at 12 and your minutes at the window below it. Its a simple concept, right?It s so simple that it dates back to 1928. Indeed, that is only nine years after the Tank Normale s public debut. It was considered the first complication for the Tank, although you could argue whether it is a complication at all. It requires a more complex mechanism, thats for sure. I ll leave it up to you to decide whether that makes it a complication or not. The Tank Guichets saw several iterations throughout the 1930s, only to disappear until 2005.That year, Cartier released a limited edition under the Collection Privee Cartier Paris flag. The French maison produced 100 pieces in rose gold. Then, the Tank Guichets went off the radar again…until today!The new Cartier Tank GuichetsIn short, a new Cartier Tank Guichets felt long overdue. I, for one, was delighted when I spotted the Guichets in our editorial schedule for Watches and Wonders. The new model measures 24.8mm across and 37.6mm long. The thickness - you will love this - comes in at a mere 6mm. As mentioned, you can have your pick of rose gold, yellow gold, or platinum. Cartier specifies these as not water resistant, which makes perfect sense.Inside ticks caliber 9755 MC. This Cartier evolution of the Piaget 430P measures only 2.1 thick. It s a hand-wound movement with a 21,600vph frequency and approximately 43 hours of autonomy on a full wind. In this adaptation, the caliber displays the hours and minutes on discs rather than via a set of hands. The hours jump, neatly filling the hour aperture at all times. The minutes, on the other hand, creep across a wider aperture. In line with the historical versions, the crown sits tucked into the case at 12. The limited edition in platinum pushes the apertures into diagonally opposed corners. This means the hour window sits flipped on its left side here, making for a funky and pleasantly odd layout.Initial impressionsI can keep it simple: I love these new Cartier Tank Guichets models. This might be my favorite release of Watches and Wonders this year, which makes it two in a row for Cartier after last year s Tortue. I would happily wear any one of the four versions. I also like how each metal gets its unique color printing for the numerals - red for platinum, green for yellow gold, and gray for rose gold. The flat, brushed surface with those tiny apertures gives the Tank a tougher, weaponized appearance. I see a little bit of steampunk charm here, which I like.I have yet to see these in the metal, but the proportions also sound spot on. The thinness, specifically, should be quite spectacular. Unfortunately, I do not have access to pricing just yet, so lets just revel in the illusion that we can afford one, shall we?What do you think of the new Cartier Tank Guichets? Let us know in the comments section below!Watch specifications Brand Cartier Model Tank Guichets Dial Off-white hour and minute discsCase Material 18K rose gold, 18K yellow gold, or 950 platinumCase Dimensions 24.8mm (diameter) 37.6mm (lug-to-lug) 6mm (thickness)Crystal SapphireMovement Cartier 9755 MC: manual winding, 21,600vph frequency, approximately 43-hour power reserveWater Resistance NoneStrap Green (yellow gold), gray (rose gold), red (platinum), or black (platinum LE) alligator with pin buckleFunctions Time (jumping hours, creeping minutes) Price TBA