Cartier Tank Basculante 'Mécanique' 2390

In 1904, Louis Cartier gave a watch to his good Brazilian friend, Santos Dumont, an aviation pioneer. Dumont had complained about the impracticality of using a pocket watch while flying, so Louis Cartier designed a slim wristwatch with a distinctive rectangular shape and a manual winding mechanism. Alberto Santos Dumont preferred this watch over many others of the time, leading to a following of customers who shared his opinion. The Cartier Santos-Dumont was not only the first men’s watch but also the first true pilot’s watch. This series of events marks the beginning of the iconic Cartier identity, as the spirit of this first 'Santos Dumont' wristwatch can be seen in many other watches from the brand, such as the Cartier Tank, Cartier Panthère, and Cartier Crash.

The beautiful Cartier Tank Basculante 2390 we have here dates from the 1990s. The watch is one of the earlier additions to Cartier’s Tank collection. This model was first introduced in 1933. The watch features a Cartier-modified, highly sought-after manual winding movement. The stainless steel case, measuring 25 x 38 mm, is still in excellent condition with sharp edges and original finishes, aside from some light user marks that are barely visible and not intrusive. The white guilloché dial is adorned with Cartier’s iconic black Roman numerals. The signature blue cabochon sapphire at the 12 o'clock position is used to rotate the case 360 degrees, protecting the glass in a manner similar to the renowned JLC Reverso watch.

This iconic vintage Cartier Tank Basculante Mécanique 2390 comes with the original dark blue leather Cartier strap with matching Cartier buckle, a red Cartier box, and 1 year of mechanical warranty.

What you need to know:
- Cartier Tank Basculante reference 2390
- White guilloché dial
- Blue hands and cabochon sapphire at 12 o'clock
- 25 x 38 mm case in good condition
- Case rotates 360 degrees
- Comes with dark blue leather Cartier strap and buckle
- Comes with red Cartier box 
- 1 year mechanical warranty
- Free insured shipping

Cartier

In 1847, the Cartier brand was founded in Paris by Louis-François Cartier, who took over the workshop of his master, Adolphe Picard. In 1874, Alfred Cartier, the son of Louis-François Cartier, took over the company. However, the iconic status of the Cartier brand was not established by the directors Louis-François or later Alfred Cartier, but by the three sons of Alfred Cartier (Louis, Pierre, and Jacques Cartier).