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The 10 Best Tank-Style Watches OF ALL TIME
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Introduction
The tank-style watch. Now, when anyone mentions tank watches, my mind always goes to the iconic design from Louis Cartier, characterized by the immaculate square case that truly changed the game.
With a tight focus on elegance and precision, Cartier opened the door for a lot of different brands to try the formula out for themselves, leading to an entire sub-genre of watches that most refer to as tank-style or tank-inspired pieces.
What exactly is a tank-style watch?
Most Tank watches are defined by a rectangular or square case that perfectly encapsulates everything that they are about. The vertical sidebars on the case resemble tank treads, and they provide the watch with a very structured look that, surprisingly enough, features a lot more curvature than you would expect.
Cartier Tanks always include Roman numerals, and most tank-style watches do as well, though you will occasionally come across one every now and then that uses standard Arabic numbers.
I, for one, will always gravitate toward those that keep it traditional and follow the Cartier design to a tee because, in my opinion, the Roman numerals are what define the watch, other than the case itself, of course.
All in all, tank-style watches are some of the most radiant pieces on the market, carrying with them a rich history and unique presence. It’s no wonder they are a fan favorite.
That’s why today, we will be taking a closer look at the top tank-style watches on the market, exploring what makes them great and hopefully providing you with a lot more clarity on which piece best suits you.
Tank Louis Cartier Watch
Obviously, we had to begin the list with the watch that started it all. In 1917, a legend was born. With its reserved rectangular appeal and iconic blue cabochon crown, this watch set the standard for countless future pieces and provided the legendary framework for what would be one of Cartier’s most successful designs.
The Tank Louis Cartier of today remains the most faithful variant of the original design, and it is one of the most widely appreciated pieces among the fan base.
There’s simply no going wrong with this iconic masterpiece. The design remains largely unchanged today, and it has been equipped with all the modern innovations that ensure flawless performance.
The Tank Louis Cartier Watch costs $13,500.
Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso GMT SS Silver
Moving on to the non-Cartier tank-style watches, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso is probably the second most iconic choice for an authentic, rectangular watch.
The sleek, silvery appeal will undoubtedly draw you in, and after that, you will be too transfixed on the bottom right sub-dial to get distracted by anything else.
This watch carries with it a classy swagger that is quite difficult to explain. It’s a luxury staple through and through (most everything from Jaeger is), but it’s so subtle that it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly where to place it.
The clearest description I can give is that the Tank heavily inspires it and builds upon that foundation to give its wearers something unique.
The Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso GMT SS Silver costs $10,900.
IWC Da Vinci Chronograph
IWC’s best take on the tank-style would have to go to the Da Vinci Chronograph. There’s a lot to unpack here. First of all, two sub-dials reside on the top and bottom of the dial, and being a big sub-dial guy myself, I was immediately drawn to everything this piece was about.
The indices are a lot and depending on how you feel about that, it could be a make-or-break scenario. Regardless, however, you can’t deny that this piece captures a very unique voice that is perhaps unmatched.
For starters, the white gold established a clear sense of luxury, and the automatic IWC Caliber 89360 is one of the most elegant movements that could have accompanied a watch of this style.
The IWC Da Vinci Chronograph costs $10,500.
Cartier Tank Americaine
Circling back to Cartier, the Tank Americaine is arguably the most coveted Tank variant today. Its slim dimensions and shiny appeal transfix the wearer at every turn, not to mention the iconic curves that have single-handedly elevated the value of this watch simply by how the lugs seamlessly blend into the bare edges of the bracelets.
The dial is slimmer as well, with the iconic Roman numerals set within a tighter space, allowing the design to be a little more creative in presenting them appealingly.
They orbit around the elegant sky-blue hands, creating a truly magical experience. This watch is and will forever be a timeless staple of true luxury watches at their finest.
The Cartier Tank Americaine costs $6,250.
Glashutte Original Karree Moonphase
The German watchmakers over at Glashutte really went all out to provide a retro, modernized piece that also simultaneously checks all the boxes for vintage fans. What I mean is that upon first glance, you’ll notice the modernized moonphase feature, which is obviously the key theme of the design.
However, this watch also holds onto a lot of history, particularly in how it handles its sub-dials. The indices appear to mimic a vintage aesthetic as well, and the slim hands provide a slick little extra layer of glorious detail, especially when you’re looking at the entire watch as a whole and aren’t focusing on one exact feature.
The square dial is also fairly curvy, which I know some of you go absolutely crazy for. Overall, this piece could be the perfect fit, capturing the essence of two different times, all on a gorgeous palette.
The Glashutte Original Karree Moonphase costs $5,000.
Bulova 96B107
You can’t go wrong with the basics. Bulova has captured just the right amount of the tank style with their 96B107, without overplaying their hand. The simple rectangular casing is quite spacious, with not a lot of features on the dial itself, instilling a calm, relaxed look that will draw many of you in.
The Roman numerals are arguably the most notable feature, and, in my opinion, they look just as good as the Cartier design that inspired them, if not even better.
Something about them is just so alluring, perhaps it’s the silver on silver coloring or the fact that they are elevated to provide the dial with a little more texture. Regardless, this is a piece that you should seriously consider, and when looking at the price, you might even be tempted to pull the trigger.
The Bulova 96B107 costs $221.
Seiko SUP896
Another design rooted in utmost simplicity, the Seiko SUP896 holds quite an iconic heritage, as chances are you have probably heard of this watch in some form or fashion.
It’s carved a very well-earned reputation for itself as being an extremely simple, affordable tank-style watch that wastes no time bringing out the best features.
The simple dial has no numerals but still manages to capture an elegant flair, not distracting from the gold markers and hands that have been finished in a gold champagne color, which, in my opinion, complements the design quite well.
It’s powered by a V115 quartz movement that uses a power cell to recharge, essentially making it maintenance-free.
The Seiko SUP896 costs $215.
Cartier Santos Dumont SS Black Lacquer
The mission with the Santos was to build off of the original tank design, but this time, make the dial even more square. They obviously succeeded. This particular edition comes in a jet-black dial with a prestigious-looking detail.
As with any Cartier, the Roman numerals steal the show, but what makes this piece so special is the unique layering of the background pattern, which provides the watch with many subtle details that may be easy to miss upon first glance.
I really like how smooth the metal is as well, and the flatness of the dial will either greatly appeal to you, or it will turn you away. Regardless, this watch is a masterpiece and deserves to be praised for its radiating beauty.
The Cartier Santos Dumont SS Black Lacquer costs $8,350.
Citizen BH1678-56E
The grand allure of this Citizen will undoubtedly attract those of you who want a taste of the lavish lifestyle but don’t necessarily want to spend an arm and a leg.
The silver and gold hue is attractive, but I think what really makes this piece stand out is the black dial that serves as a target for the eyes, and with detail that will not be noticed upon first glance, your eyes will most definitely linger on the center of this piece for much longer than you would expect.
On the inside, Japanese quartz swiftly powers the entire design, which contributes to the smaller price. I always appreciate it when a watch focuses on simpler elements to reduce the price while ensuring that the quality of the piece as a whole is not compromised. The Citizen BH1678-56E definitely adheres to that ideology.
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The Citizen BH1678-56E costs $190.
Hamilton H13519711
Perhaps the most Cartier-like piece that isn’t made by Cartier themselves, this Hamilton could most likely pass as one of the Tanks in the Cartier lineup, and no one would be able to tell.
The white dial features the large, back Roman numerals, which, as you know by now, might as well be a trademark for the Cartier legacy, and three blue hands that are as thin as paper.
Sound familiar? The rectangular curve of the case provides an elegant outer shell to house this masterpiece, and because of the virtually flawless Swiss engineering, the inside movement is mechanically hand-wound, as the Swiss caliber is simply too grand not to show off.
The Hamilton H13519711 costs $995.
Conclusion
The Tank will go down as one of the greatest watches of all time, as its massive success has allowed watch brands to get more creative with their approach and create new designs that push the limit of what’s capable.
A lot of what you love today can be directly connected back to the first Tank, so it’s important that we remember how far we’ve come and how much more room there is to grow.
Cartier has truly inspired the masses, and it’s a beautiful testimony to their brilliance that other brands have fought to vividly recreate their timeless design while adding in unique elements.
The Tank has fostered so much creativity in the past, and as the watch world continues to evolve, I can only dream of what’s next for these masterminds.
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