"Cartier Tank" is one name for several quite different watches. A Tank Louis Cartier, a Tank Must, a Tank Solo, an Américaine and a Française share the same idea, a rectangle framed by two side bars, but their cases, their sizes and the way the strap meets them are not the same. For a strap, those differences decide everything.
This guide goes through the Tank models one by one: what sets each apart, the case sizes, the usual lug widths and what that means for a leather strap.
What all Tanks have in common
The Tank's case is a rectangle held between two vertical side bars, which Cartier calls brancards. The bars run past the dial and form the lugs, and the strap sits between them. So on a Tank, the lug width is the inside distance between the two brancards.
The lugs are short, and the strap meets the case almost directly. That is why a Tank strap has to be the exact width and fairly thin at the end: there is no room to hide a gap or a bulky edge.
Tank Louis Cartier
The Louis Cartier is the classic Tank, with softly rounded brancards and, in most versions, a gold case. Current sizes:
- Mini: 24 x 16.5 mm.
- Small: 29.5 x 22 mm, usually with a 16 mm lug width.
- Large: 33.7 x 25.5 mm, usually with a 19 mm lug width. Cartier lists some versions of this size as the medium model.
The case is thin, about 6.6 mm on the small and large sizes, and looks best on a slim, flat strap that tapers clearly towards the buckle.
Tank Must
The Must is the steel Tank in Cartier's current range. Its small and large sizes share the measurements of the Louis Cartier:
- Small: 29.5 x 22 mm, usually 16 mm between the lugs.
- Large: 33.7 x 25.5 mm, usually 19 mm between the lugs.
- Extra large: 41 x 31 mm, 8.4 mm thick, usually 23 mm between the lugs.
For a strap, a small Must and a small Louis Cartier take the same width, as do the large sizes. What differs is the colour of the case, and so perhaps the buckle you choose.
Tank Solo
The Solo was Cartier's steel Tank before the current Must took its place. It looks very close to a Must, but its sizes are slightly different, and so is the strap:
- Small: usually 17 mm between the lugs; some references measure close to 17.5 mm.
- Large: usually 20 mm.
- Extra large: around 22.5 to 23 mm, depending on the reference.
This is the most common mix-up with Tank straps. A strap made for a large Must (19 mm) is one millimetre too narrow for a large Solo (20 mm), and that millimetre shows as a gap on both sides of the case.
Tank Américaine
The Américaine is long and narrow, and its case is curved to follow the wrist. Current sizes are about 28 x 15.2 mm (mini), 35.4 x 19.4 mm (small) and 44.4 x 24.4 mm (large).
The curve matters for the strap. The end that meets the case has to be thin and supple enough to follow it, without lifting away from the lugs. The large Américaine of 2017 (45.1 x 26.6 mm) usually measures 18 mm between the lugs, and the small one about 16 mm. The newer versions are not documented as consistently, so please measure your watch or send me the reference.
Tank Française
The Française is designed around its metal bracelet, which flows straight out of the case. It is not made for an ordinary strap in the way the other Tanks are. If you would like your Française on leather, please send me photos of the case from the front, the back and the side before ordering. I will tell you honestly whether and how a strap can be made for it.
The models side by side
| Model and size | Case (length x width) | Usual lug width |
|---|---|---|
| Louis Cartier / Must, small | 29.5 x 22 mm | 16 mm |
| Louis Cartier / Must, large | 33.7 x 25.5 mm | 19 mm |
| Must, extra large | 41 x 31 mm | 23 mm |
| Solo, small | – | 17 mm (some 17.5 mm) |
| Solo, large | – | 20 mm |
| Solo, extra large | – | 22.5–23 mm |
| Américaine, small | about 35 x 19 mm | about 16 mm |
| Américaine, large (2017) | 45.1 x 26.6 mm | 18 mm |
| Française | – | Bracelet; send photos |
These are the usual figures. Cartier has made many references over the years, and some differ by half a millimetre. Before ordering, measure the inside distance between the lugs of your own watch, as the guide to measuring lug width shows, or send me the reference from the caseback.
Buckle width and length
On a Tank, the strap narrows from the lugs to the buckle, and the buckle is offered in 12, 14, 16 and 18 mm. A buckle a few millimetres narrower than the lug width keeps the taper elegant; the guide to buckle width explains how to measure your own.
The length depends on your wrist, not on the model. The guide to measuring your wrist takes you from your wrist circumference to a size, from XS (100/60 mm) to XXL (130/90 mm). For a butterfly clasp, the strap is made with two equal sides.
Ordering a strap for your Tank
The Tank strap is cut to the measurements you choose: lug width from 15 to 23 mm, buckle width, length and clasp. The Cartier Tank strap guide goes through each choice, including leather and lining.
If you are not sure which Tank you have, the reference on the caseback is enough for me to tell. Write to me with it before you order.
