Cartier Tank Basculante Collection Privee Millennium Edition 2391

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Quintessentially Cartier in form and function, the Tank Basculante Millennium Edition celebrates the turn of the millennium with its reversible 18K yellow gold case and distinctive caseback engraving.

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This is the Cartier Tank Basculante Millennium Edition reference 2391. Established in 1847 by Louis-Francois Cartier in Paris, Cartier was arguably the first household name to merge fine jewellery and watchmaking into artisanal instruments of time. The introduction of the brand’s flagship Santos in 1904 paved the way for its highly successful Tank in 1917 and these two models have been synonymous with the brand ever since.

Being one of its most recognizable models, it is no surprise that the Tank has been the model with the most variations. Essentially a canvas for creation, the Tank has spawned several derivatives in all shapes and sizes. Among these, one of the more idiosyncratic is definitely the Tank Basculante and its reversible case.

With a mechanism reminiscent of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso given its reversible case, the Basculante sets itself apart via a top-down cabriolet system that flips vertically through the crown at the 12. Production of the Basculante in larger numbers began in the 1990s, predating the Collection Privee era and it is no surprise that it was one of the chosen models to be featured in the subsequent Privee Collection.

Limited to 365 examples to celebrate the turn of the millennium, the aforementioned 2391 features a central guilloche dial and the signature blue cabochon can be seen above the 12 o’clock marker, marking the position of the crown just below. The inner caseback reveals the brand’s tribute to the millennium with the 1999-2000-2001 engraving. With a gentle maneuver of the case, the Basculante doubles up at a desk clock that stands upright on its outer caseback.

A brand that has grown from strength to strength in recent times, the Collection Privee has played a pivotal role in Cartier’s revival. Pleasing in both form and function as well as hailing from that special era of the brand’s creations, the Tank Basculante 2391 holds a cult following with its whimsical yet functional nature. Truly a reference representative of the brand’s ability to innovate, the Tank Basculante’s whimsical yet practical design makes it an impossible one to replicate.