Who designed the Cartier Tank watch?

Louis Cartier designed the Cartier Tank watch.

Cartier created the Tank in 1917, drawing inspiration from the newly introduced Renault tanks used on the Western Front during World War I. Its distinctive vertical sidebars, known as brancards, echo the tank’s tracks, while the rectangular case suggests the vehicle’s overhead profile. Cartier presented the prototype to General John J. Pershing of the American Expeditionary Force.

The watch was introduced in 1918 and entered full production in 1919, when Cartier made six examples. Its signature styling includes Roman numerals, a chemin de fer minute track, blued-steel sword hands and a sapphire cabochon crown. The original design is often called the Tank Normale.

A common mix-up is confusing the designer with other members of the Cartier family. Alfred Cartier ran the firm before his sons Louis, Pierre and Jacques expanded it internationally, but Louis was the brother associated with the Tank’s design. Later versions included the Tank Louis, Tank Américaine and Tank Française.