Cartier Tank Solo

As much as I am first and foremost an Omega lover, the traditional Cartier Tank is one of my favourite watches. While I can admire watches with grand complications, I tend to prefer, at least aesthetically, the simpler styles.
The Tank Solo, considered to be the entry level Cartier, still retains the tradition and quality of generations of Tanks. This model has a quartz movement, which is perfect for me as I only wear the watch occasionally. Entry level or not, I don't feel any compromise of quality in this model.















With a beautiful silver Laurel Wreath ring I found. One of a kind, made right here by an artist in Vancouver:











Perfect size for this watch:







Well, I could go on and on. While I am by no means an expert, it is such a lot of fun taking pics of what I consider to be one of the most photogenic timpieces.

I love this piece so much. Largely, it is such a contrast to my Omega Speedy, which is my everyday watch. It has such a timeless feel to it.

I have yet to own a gold watch. But when I do, I believe it will be this exact model in yellow gold.

Hope you enjoyed the pics. I apologize for posting so many at one time.

Cheers,
Carl

If you don't tell anyone it's quartz they'll never know since there's no incessant tick-tick-tick of a second hand. 😉

That is definitely one of the major pluses for me about this watch. Not just that others know whether or not it's quartz, but because the lack of second hand adds to the simplicity. I find that so many of the quartz watches with a second hand, never quite hit the markers dead on anyway, even in the higher end watches, and that always kind of bugs me.

Cheers,
Carl

Yes, yes, yes! The Patek Philippe Goldolo. Definitely, if I had the bucks it would be at the top of my list. About a year ago, at the one local AD, I did actually try one on. At the time, I was even considering selling three watches I had, then financing the rest, to the tune of $28,000. It was not the above model, but the white gold version with the arabics and a kind of tobacco coloured dial:



Once I started to think about getting a deployment clasp for, if I remember correctily, a couple of grand. A replacement strap, which would be necessary in a year or so, would be $750, I soon realized it was out of the question for me. Nevertheless, I do still dream about that watch.

Cheers,
Carl

You could go aftermarket for the strap. I have a custom Hadley-Roma gator strap on my VC now and it's much more comfortable and nicer looking than the original factory strap. Besides, Patek doesn't make their own - they probably have a high end strap maker under contract to put their brand name and logo on the strap maker's product.

As for deployant clasps - never found one that fit the curve of my wrist just right so I swap them out for tang buckles immediately.

I know what you mean. Not particularly keen on the deployant clasp that comes with the Cartier Tank. When I get the chance, I am going to order a Cartier tang buckle and get a new strap. The inside of the clasp is just strange: it sits at one side of the wrist, instead of being centered at the botton of the wrist.
On the other hand, the deployment clasp on the Hour Vision Orbis I tried just feels right. It is totally comfortable.

Cheers,
Carl

that Gondolo with the arabics is the one for me as well... super 👍

If we're talking rectangular Pateks, I'll take the 5500 Pagoda in any color gold.