CARTIERTANK BASCULANTE

Wristwatches started to become mainstream objects after World War One, and soon it was apparent that, while extremely practical, having a timepiece on one’s wrist left it much more exposed to hazards than a pocket watch. Some companies, probably inspired by hunter case pocket watches, came up with an ingenious solution to this problem: a system which allows the watch to pivot on itself and secure the dial side, leaving exposed the sturdy metal plate of the back. The Tank Basculante represents Cartier’s approach to this design: the watch rotates on its horizontal axis within a frame. This design has an added advantage: the watch can be half-pivoted and used as a desk clock, for example during nighttime.