Cartier 20611 Tank "Palissandre de Rio" Wood 1970s

Timegrapher +5s/d 283° 0.2ms

Produced in the mid-1970s, the Tank "Palissandre de Rio" stands apart from every other interpretation of Cartier's 1917 design. Conceived before the Must de Cartier era, it belongs to a short-lived experiment in which Cartier set aside precious metal in favour of Brazilian rosewood, and it was built in small numbers over barely two years. This example is distinguished by the depth of that wood, which has settled over five decades into a green-tinged patina particular to its own grain.

The case measures 24.5mm across excluding the crown and 30mm from lug to lug, its wooden body framed by a gold-plated bezel that traces the familiar brancards. A black cabochon sits atop the winding crown, the one flourish Cartier allowed itself here. The proportions remain classically Tank, and the absence of ornament lets the material itself carry the design.

The dial is cut from the same wood, its grain running vertically beneath applied gold Roman numerals at twelve, three, six and nine. Under direct light the surface shifts between deep green and warm brown; in shade it reads almost black. Slender gold hands complete a composition that depends on texture rather than colour.

At its heart beats the manually wound Caliber 78-1, based on the ETA 2512-1, with 17 jewels beating at 21,600 vibrations per hour. On the timing machine it is running to within five seconds a day with healthy amplitude. The daily ritual of winding reinforces the connection between the wearer and the mechanism within.

Completing the watch is a Cartier leather strap, fitted to the 17.5mm lug width and adjustable to a wrist of up to 19.5cm, secured by a gold-tone buckle. Its dark brown tone follows the case rather than competing with it, which is what a wooden Tank asks of a strap.

Warm, unexpected, and unmistakably vintage, this Tank captures a moment when Cartier looked beyond gold for its most recognisable design.