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Cartier Tank Quartz Moonphase 8190 - 18K Yellow Gold

Details

The Tank, With A View Of The Moon

The Cartier Tank is one of the few truly perfect designs in watchmaking. Its form is so complete that it rarely requires, or accepts, additional complexity. This makes the Tank Moonphase a significant exception. By integrating a poetic complication into the clean geometry of the classic case, Cartier created a watch that respects the original design while adding a layer of visual interest. Executed in solid 18K yellow gold, this reference elevates the familiar shape into something far more uncommon.

An Elegant And Uncommon Configuration

This watch represents a step up from the standard Tank. The combination of a solid gold case and a moonphase display moves it into a different class. While many Tanks from this era were gold-plated silver, this example is crafted from solid 18K gold, giving it a satisfying weight and presence. The quartz movement provides grab-and-go convenience, but the complication and precious metal case ensure it never feels anything less than a piece of fine jewelry. It is a thoughtful blend of practicality and classic luxury.

Well-Kept And Entirely Original

The watch is in very good overall condition. The 18K yellow gold case is unpolished and well-preserved, and the cream Roman numeral dial and crystal are clean. It comes with its original Cartier leather strap and gold buckle. This is a strong, honest example of a rare reference from the 1990s. As with every watch we offer, this piece has been verified as mechanically sound and is ready to wear.

For The Person Who Wants More

This watch is for someone who appreciates the timeless appeal of the Tank but wants a version with more substance and character. The moonphase complication adds a touch of romance to an otherwise austere design, delivering the quintessential Cartier look with an added layer of distinction.

Key Specs

Reference: 8190

Model: Tank Quartz Moonphase

Era: 1990s

Movement: Quartz

Case Size: 23x30mm

Bezel: 18K Yellow Gold Integrated

Strap: Original Leather and Buckle

Dial: Cream Roman with Moonphase

Metal: 18K Yellow Gold

SKU: 675

History

The Tank was designed by Louis Cartier in 1917, inspired by the aerial view of the Renault tanks used by the Allied forces on the Western Front. The "rails" of the case — the vertical bars that run along the sides of the watch — were a direct formal translation of the tank's tracks into a wearable object. It was a design that imposed order and geometry onto the wristwatch at a time when most cases were either round or oval, and the result was a visual language so complete that the watch required almost no revision in the century that followed.

The Tank's influence on watch design is difficult to overstate. The rectangular case with integrated lugs became the defining form of the dressed watch for the entire twentieth century, and the Cartier execution remained the standard against which every competitor was measured. The Roman numeral dial, the sword-shaped hands, the cabochon crown, and the fine leather strap were all present in early production and have remained characteristic of the reference through every subsequent generation. When other manufacturers have needed to indicate luxury and restraint simultaneously, the Tank has been the reference that their designers inevitably consulted.

The collector market for the Tank spans over a century of production and several distinct reference families — the original Tank, the Tank Louis Cartier, the Tank Américaine, the Tank Française, and the Tank Solo among them. The most sought-after examples are the early manually-wound references in yellow gold with Roman numeral dials, which represent the purest expression of the original design intent. Later references offer more accessible price points with the same essential design logic, making the Tank one of the few watches in history where the entire production history is worth collecting.