The Cartier Privé collection brings back the Tank à Guichets, one of the more distinctive and rare variants in Cartier's iconic Tank watch collection, featuring an unusual ‘digital’ time display system with jumping hours and dragging minutes. First introduced in 1928, the Tank à Guichets—meaning Tank with Counters in French—represented a departure from traditional analog displays. Instead of featuring conventional hands, the watch displays the time through two small apertures or counters on its face.
This jumping hour mechanism was quite innovative for its time, featuring rotating discs beneath the solid face that would align with the windows to show the current time. The design was reportedly inspired by pocket watches of the era and exemplifies the Art Deco aesthetic popular during the late 1920s. Its case maintained the classic Tank's rectangular shape, but with a distinctive solid dial face, typically crafted in precious metals like platinum or gold.
The Tank à Guichets became particularly notable when it was adopted by King Farouk of Egypt, who was known for his extensive watch collection. Later, Louis Cartier himself wore this model, further cementing its prestige. Throughout its history, the Tank à Guichets has remained one of the rarest and most exclusive Tank variants, produced in extremely limited quantities.
For Watches & Wonders 2025, Cartier revisits and brings back the Tank à Guichets within its Privé collection and makes the watch available in 18K yellow gold ref. WGTA0234, 18K rose gold ref. WGTA0235 or platinum ref. WGTA0236. Additionally, Cartier also presented a 200-piece limited edition model in platinum with oblique apertures ref. WGTA0237.
Featuring a solid case construction—fully satin-brush finished—measuring 37.6 mm by 24.8 mm and a slender profile only 6 mm thick, the watch has a very unique look with its winding crown at 12 o’clock and its two apertures displaying the jumping hours at 12 o’clock and the dragging minutes at 6 o’clock. The hours and minutes are in green color over a white background.
The new Tank à Guichets watch is powered by the Cartier manual 9755 MC movement, a calibre with jumping hours and dragging minutes, crafted exclusively for this timepiece. Like the original, the winding crown is positioned at 12 o'clock. The watch features a solid case back and is equipped with a green alligator strap with tone-on-tone stitching and secured by a pin buckle.
On the wrist, the Tank à Guichets has a substantial presence due to its solid dial and case construction. Unlike standard Tank watches where much of the visual weight comes from the dial details, the à Guichets presents a bold, uninterrupted metal surface with just two small windows. This creates a more imposing and architectural feel. The Cartier Privé Tank à Guichets offers a distinctive wearing experience that sets it apart from both traditional Tank models and other luxury watches.
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