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Must de Cartier Tank Vermeil

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abw335

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Hi everyone,

I'm looking to purchase a ladies size 21x28mm Must de Cartier Tank Vermeil and I'm struggling to find good info on them online. They seem to have been produced from 1969?-1990s? and there are a variety of references, sizes, and slight changes to the crown (clover vs traditional) and a variety of different casebacks. From what I understand there are also hand-wound and quartz versions for each of these as well.

Some questions I had below:

1. Reference #s: Anyone know the differences in reference #s and production years?
2. Cartier Signature: Do all of these have the hidden Cartier signature? I've also seen this on both the X and the VII, what is the difference? I've also seen some examples without the signature (left image below), does this mean the dial has been redone?
3. Quartz vs. Mechanical: for such an old watch, are there any pros & cons for quartz vs hand wound? Do these quartz watches last forever (with regular battery changes) like the mechanical ones do (with regular service)?
4. Purchase advice: What should I look out for in general before purchasing? Not sure if these are commonly faked. Do the examples below look ok?

Image
Image


Any advice or direction is much appreciated. Thanks in advance!
 
#2 · (Edited)
I'm not surprised that you're not finding much online, because these are not really particularly desirable for collectors. They were budget entry-level watches sold by Cartier at the time, to capitalize on their brand. As such, everything about them is pretty cheaply made; the plating is thin and often wears badly.

There are definitely a lot of fakes, but it's not always so easy to tell at first glance, because the authentic ones are also pretty cheap looking. If you study the fonts and the engravings, you will learn to tell the difference, and that's what I'd recommend.

Quartz movements can last a pretty long time, but they do fail eventually, and sometimes they are destroyed by leaking batteries. When that happens, repairs are not really cost-effective, and one generally looks to replace the entire movement with something equivalent.

Edit: All that said, they sell for surprising prices. People really want the Cartier name.
 
#3 ·
Women prefer quartz. No having to wind the watch every day

Hidden sig looks to be in the X number. Pictures too small and no idea if real or fake

Need to find a real one and compare backs and dial images

DON
 
Discussion starter · #5 ·
Thanks for the responses! Here is a close up of the dial and movement of the watch with the brown strap. Seller is reputable and the watch seems to be in better condition than the one with the black strap.

Only concern is that there’s no hidden Cartier signature. Seems like everything else checks out though?

Image


Image



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#6 ·
Great watches! All this "cheaply made & low quality" is a bs. You're getting solid silver watch made by Cartier, unfortunately gold plated. And unfortunately these are not well documented and there are many fakes. So if you would research them and document them you would do all of us a great favor.

I personally would go for a quartz, just because at the moment most "serious collectors" hate quartz and there is no second hand so visually it's doesn't matter. Cartier used high quality jeweled quartz movements and yes they will run accurately forever. Obviously these might need service or even parts replacement from time to time, but not even close to how often those "desirable" mechanical movements would need service and parts.

You can bring the watch you want to buy to Cartier for a battery replacement. If they see it's a fake they will refuse the service. Obviously you want to be a better authenticity expert then them, they do mistakes, but it's something.
 
#7 ·
QuartzCrisis said:
Great watches! All this "cheaply made & low quality" is a bs. You're getting solid silver watch made by Cartier, unfortunately gold plated. And unfortunately these are not well documented and there are many fakes. So if you would research them and document them you would do all of us a great favor.

I personally would go for a quartz, just because at the moment most "serious collectors" hate quartz and there is no second hand so visually it's doesn't matter. Cartier used high quality jeweled quartz movements and yes they will run accurately forever. Obviously these might need service or even parts replacement from time to time, but not even close to how often those "desirable" mechanical movements would need service and parts.
Click to expand...
Haha ... no more drunk posting for you! :D
 
#9 ·
abw335 said:
Thanks for the responses! Here is a close up of the dial and movement of the watch with the brown strap. Seller is reputable and the watch seems to be in better condition than the one with the black strap.

Only concern is that there’s no hidden Cartier signature. Seems like everything else checks out though?

Image


Image



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Ah, I see - I was looking at the watch on the right in the initial post (which does have the signature in the VII). As for the movement, it is a common but decent ETA 2512 (so it is Swiss) which is what I have seen in most "must de Cartier" watches so far.

bidfun-db Archiv: Uhrwerke: ETA 2512

www.ranfft.de www.ranfft.de

Hartmut Richter
 
#10 ·
abw335 said:
Hi everyone,

I'm looking to purchase a ladies size 21x28mm Must de Cartier Tank Vermeil and I'm struggling to find good info on them online. They seem to have been produced from 1969?-1990s? and there are a variety of references, sizes, and slight changes to the crown (clover vs traditional) and a variety of different casebacks. From what I understand there are also hand-wound and quartz versions for each of these as well.

Some questions I had below:

1. Reference #s: Anyone know the differences in reference #s and production years?
2. Cartier Signature: Do all of these have the hidden Cartier signature? I've also seen this on both the X and the VII, what is the difference? I've also seen some examples without the signature (left image below), does this mean the dial has been redone?
3. Quartz vs. Mechanical: for such an old watch, are there any pros & cons for quartz vs hand wound? Do these quartz watches last forever (with regular battery changes) like the mechanical ones do (with regular service)?
4. Purchase advice: What should I look out for in general before purchasing? Not sure if these are commonly faked. Do the examples below look ok?

View attachment 16905964 View attachment 16905967

Any advice or direction is much appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
The Must de Cartier Tank Vermeil is a classic with variations in reference numbers, dial signatures, and movements (quartz or mechanical). The hidden Cartier signature is often found under the numeral XII, though some earlier models may lack it. Quartz versions require less maintenance but lack the traditional charm of hand-wound models. When purchasing, focus on the watch's condition, check the serial number for authenticity, and verify the movement type. The Must de Cartier Tank on EBTH is a good example, offering a well-maintained quartz option. Always make sure to buy from trusted sources to avoid fakes.
 
#11 ·
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#12 ·
Alex789 said:
The Must de Cartier Tank Vermeil is a classic with variations in reference numbers, dial signatures, and movements (quartz or mechanical). The hidden Cartier signature is often found under the numeral XII, though some earlier models may lack it. Quartz versions require less maintenance but lack the traditional charm of hand-wound models. When purchasing, focus on the watch's condition, check the serial number for authenticity, and verify the movement type. The Must de Cartier Tank on EBTH is a good example, offering a well-maintained quartz option. Always make sure to buy from trusted sources to avoid fakes.
Click to expand...
What a wonderful automated tribute to one of the crappiest vintage watches.
 
#13 ·
Dan S said:
What a wonderful automated tribute to one of the crappiest vintage watches.
Click to expand...
Overpriced ≠ crappy. The design is absolutely iconic, and they are made to an equal or higher standard than other heritage Swiss brands of their time. Would they be going for the same prices if they weren't a Cartier Tank? Probably not. But then they wouldn't be a Cartier Tank, would they? Please explain what about a 1970s Must de Cartier is significantly worse than any other Swiss company's non-waterproof dress models.
 
#14 ·
Shadoobey said:
Overpriced ≠ crappy. The design is absolutely iconic, and they are made to an equal or higher standard than other heritage Swiss brands of their time. Would they be going for the same prices if they weren't a Cartier Tank? Probably not. But then they wouldn't be a Cartier Tank, would they? Please explain what about a 1970s Must de Cartier is significantly worse than any other Swiss company's non-waterproof dress models.
Click to expand...
Where to start? The low quality case with the thinnest possible plating? The cheapest possible generic movement? Plain flat painted dial? Sorry, the design mimics a real Cartier tank, but otherwise these Must de Cartier watches cut corners in every way. Very few of the top Swiss manufacturers would have put their name on a watch with such low quality features, and certainly no other brand pretending to be prestigious. These watches are an embarrassment to the name Cartier, IMO.
 
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Dan S
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