Tank Cintrée Ref. WGTA0090 “NSO”

Among longtime Cartier enthusiasts, the Tank Cintrée is often regarded as the pinnacle of the maison’s design legacy. With its gracefully curved, elongated case and bold numerals, it captures the essence of Cartier’s Art Deco aesthetic like few other models. The present example, reference WGTA0090, takes that heritage a step further — it is believed to be a unique creation realized through Cartier’s exclusive New Special Order (NSO) Program, making it the only known piece of its kind.

Cartier introduced the Tank Cintrée in 1921 as a bold evolution of the original Tank design, first launched in 1919. Distinguished by its elongated rectangular case and gently curved profile, the Cintrée offered a striking alternative to the classic, humbly proportioned silhouette, while enhancing comfort on the wrist.

Over the past century, the Cintrée has become one of Cartier’s most enduring and recognizable designs — a model that bridges the brand’s early 20th-century elegance with contemporary interpretations, including the limited edition created for its 100th anniversary in 2021. Hallmark features include its gracefully arched case flanked by strong brancards, Breguet-style hands, numerals stretched to follow the curvature of the dial, and a chemin-de-fer minute track — all quintessential Cartier design cues.

The present example is a highly distinctive yellow gold Tank Cintrée, created as a bespoke commission through Cartier’s now-suspended New Special Order (NSO) program. This likely unique piece features a striking deep blue-colored dial with bright white lacquered Arabic numerals and chemin-de-fer track. While the traditional minute track anchors the design, blue dials are extremely rare in the Tank Cintrée’s history. Most notable are the bold, white exploded Arabic numerals — a nod to the celebrated 2004 CPCP Cintrée, itself inspired by the luminous 1929 model famously worn by Fred Astaire.