11 Alternatives to the Cartier Tank

Originally designed in 1914 and inspired by WWI Renault combat vehicles, the Cartier Tank has become a genuine icon of watchmaking history. With its timeless Art Deco design, it’s as perfect a dress watch today as it was a century ago, arguably the definitive rectangular watch. It’s also, being Cartier, pretty expensive. Even the quartz Cartier Tank Must is £3,200 for the smallest version and it only scales upwards with the automatic movements.

But if you’re on a budget never fear. The Cartier Tank is such an archetypal early 20th century watch that plenty of other watchmakers have designed their own twists on the 1920s formula. Whether you’re after something ultra-thin and sleekly Italian from echo/neutra, a dash of colour courtesy of Söner or a pure tribute to the classic style from Swiss brands like Frederique Constant, here are the 11 best accessible alternatives to the Cartier Tank.

Longines Dolcevita, £1,700

While the dial of Longines’ signature rectangular watch is pure roaring 20s Art Deco style, it takes that well-trodden aesthetic in its own direction. Stepped sides, rounded shoulders and a prominent crown give the 27.70mm x 43.80mm case more wrist presence than its size might suggest and the way the bracelet integrates into the lugs feels more 70s than early 1900s. Backed by the in-house L592.5 movement with 45-hour power reserve, it’s the kind of well-priced (at £1,700), well-made release that you expect from Longines.

Available at Longines.

Hamilton American Classic Boulton, £840

While most Cartier Tank alternatives are firmly rooted in the 1920s, the Hamilton Boulton takes a different approach, one drawn directly from the 1940s instead. That means an elegant tonneau case that gently curves along its length. Squared off with distinctive lugs and a classical dial dominated by large Roman numerals, it’s an accessible slice of vintage Americana. Backed by the H-50 calibre – a riff on the excellent Powermatic 80 – it’s a lot of watch for the money which, incidentally, is £840.

Available at Hamilton.

Raymond Weil Toccata, £1,095

Raymond Weil have a proven track record with vintage designs and where the curves of the Toccata Heritage echo the Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse, the Toccata Square does the same for the Cartier Tank. Roman numerals, a railway minute track and a crisp white dial, it has all the Art Deco hallmarks you could want, wrapped in a slightly curved, 37mm x 29mm rectangular case. It’s not all vintage though; between the svelte crown guards and the retro 5-link bracelet, this is more of a quartz-powered modern update than an archival reissue for £1,095.

Available at Raymond Weil.

Frederique Constant Classics Carrée, £995

Frederique Constant’s twist on the 1920 Tank formula is one of the few that can aesthetically stack up against Cartier’s horological icon. The deep blue, sunray brushed dial with its embossed central section offers the light-catching glamour that you want from a dress watch, with a framed, pleasingly symmetrical 6 o’clock date window. Finished with stepped sides and a period-appropriate onion crown, it’s squatter and squarer than most rectangular watches at 42.3mm wide, but no less elegant. The power reserve is less than stellar at 38 hours, but when the end result is priced at £995, it’s certainly not a deal-breaker.

Available at Frederique Constant.

Baume & Mercier Hampton 10528, £2,750

Baume & Mercier may have seen some seismic shifts recently behind the scenes – they were recently acquired by Italian jewellery brand Damiani – but fingers crossed they continue building pieces like the Hampton 10528. The 48mm x 31mm case has straight sides but slanted lugs for a sportier take on the classic rectangle, while the mix of crisp white and textured finishing on the dial is distinctly modern. There are still those 1920s touches though in the silver railway track and sword-shaped hands, but the big picture is much more contemporary. It’s one of the pricier entries on this list at £2,750, but it’s also one of the most confident.

Available at Baume & Mercier.

echo/neutra Rivanera, £1,350

The sleek, Italian take on the Cartier Tank formula, echo/neutra’s Rivanera doubles down on the rigid lines of a rectangular case with sharp edges and faceted lugs. The 40mm case measures just 5.5mm high of blacked out grade 5 titanium for a near weightless feel on the wrist. At the same time, that grained black frame around a stark white dial offers far more visual punch than most ultra-slim pieces. This is Art Deco, just through the lens of Italian industrial design – and at £1,350 for an ETA manual-wind movement, it’s hard to resist.

Available at echo/neutra.

Söner Amorous Tokyo, £466

If you prefer a bit of colour in your Art Deco watch then look no further than Söner, a brand that only builds rectangular watches, and their Amorous. While the stepped bezel and strong, sharp silhouette are certainly eye-catching, the Tokyo edition is all about that emerald green, sunburst-finished dial. This is a watch that will get noticed – even if you might get a few odd looks at having the word ‘amorous’ on your watch. Backed by an automatic movement at a temptingly accessible £466, you can even amp up the colour further with a dial-matched leather strap.

Available at Söner.

Alpina Heritage Carrée Automatic, £1,495

Alpina’s Heritage Carrée automatic has a very different personality than dressier Art Deco pieces. Its more muscular shape with a slightly inset, protected crown makes it feel sporty, despite a geometric dial of concentric rectangles that’s firmly rooted in the 1920s. Measuring 32.5mm by 39mm with a black and gold dial, this is a watch that feels very different on the wrist than most other Tank-adjacent pieces – largely for the better.

Available at Alpina.

Herbelin Art Déco, £365

Rather than a rigid Art Deco rectangle, Herbelin’s ever-accessible take on 1920s style opts instead for a gently curvaceous tonneau case. The aptly named Art Déco still has the requisite Roman numerals around a railway minute track, a clous de Paris inner dial and small seconds subdial, but the 30mm x 35.5mm stainless steel case with its horizontal grooves top and bottom make it much more distinctive. Powered by a quartz movement for a fuss-free toe-dip into this particular realm of vintage design, it’s a solid, accessible option for around £365.

Available at Herbelin.

Second Hour Memoir, £320

Aussie microbrand Second Hour cut their teeth with the superb Gin Clear Diver and similarly rugged go anywhere, do anything timepieces. The Memoir is therefore a bit of an outlier – and yet, with its engraved dials their ode to Art Deco fits right into their wider collection. There are plenty of other colours, including a pitch-perfect pink salmon, but the combination of silver-white and blue indexes and numerals is stunning. A perfect dress watch size at 39.5mm x 28mm, the quartz-powered Memoir is a Tank with a difference.

Available at Second Hour.

Seiko SWR106, £240

The most accessible alternative to the Cartier Tank on this list is also the most timeless; nothing says vintage dress watch like a gold case with a matching monochrome gold dial. As a quartz Seiko however, what looks like an absolute classic is instead an ultra-accessible impulse buy that will set you back just £240. It still has a sapphire crystal and a slim, 6.4mm profile so honestly, if it didn’t say Seiko on the dial this could pass for something much, much more prestigious.

Available at Seiko.