Strap Guide: Cartier Tank Must Black L

Strap Guide written by @wrists.and.walls. Thank you Julian!

Introduction

As soon as Cartier announced the revamp of their Tank-line with the colorful limited editions in red, green and blue back in spring 2021, I became a fan of the minimalistic and super clean versions of one of the world’s most iconic watches. While I could have pulled the trigger on the blue dial variant, something held me back. That something must (no pun intended) have been the black version. What started as a highly limited 50 piece edition for the brand’s Geneva boutique soon after was announced as a regular production variant. While that caused some irritation here and there (read: watering down the limitation), I was genuinely happy about that release. This meant I would be able to get my hands on the clean Tank iteration I enjoyed the most – pitch black. In my opinion, the deep black lacquer perfectly corresponds with the minimalistic, no numerals look and the polished steel case. What a stunner! And what a dress watch! However, I was certain that this Tank had more to offer than just looking great at black tie events. This is where Ken stepped in once again and offered me to try a range of different looks, including straps from his newly introduced Tank collection. These are fitted with the Cartier – inspired tang buckle to stay close to the original appearance. And yes – this watch can definitely be dressed down!

A little note on the sizing: normally, the medium sized Delugs straps fit me really well, giving me 2 or 3 holes of excess length – not too much abundant strap and not too short. But due to the Tank’s relatively small size I mostly use these straps on the second last hole. I know some like to have as little excess strap remaining as possible, but this almost renders the free keeper on the straps irrelevant. All in all, while still perfectly wearable, I maybe should’ve sized up according to the watches measurements. You might want to keep that in mind when ordering straps for your Tank and, depending on your preferences, choose a longer option than usual.
For reference, my wrist measures approx. 17,5cm / 6.9 inches.

Orange Chevre Slim

This strap is without a doubt the loudest (or boldest) of the selections. At the same time, it might also be the coolest. As soon as I saw the black Tank for the very first time I thought “orange!”. The high contrast against the dark dial is almost complementary. You might disagree, but I think this is a fantastic combination, making the Cartier look as casual as possible. Yet the grain of the goat leather still makes the strap and the overall look seem quite luxurious. It’s incredibly fun to wear this, as it’s definitely a conversation starter.

That’s it for this rendition of the strap guide, featuring the Cartier Tank Must Black Large. Hope you enjoyed the read and were able to draw some inspiration for future strap choices. Thanks for reading!
W+W

Matte Grey Storm Alligator Cartier Tank

The next obvious pick was a “replacement” alligator strap. I wanted to keep the dressy look alligator offers but add more wearability and a little twist in color. The slimness of the strap provides a high level of comfort right from the start without the need to break in the strap. The matte color balances the watch on a classy but not too formal line. The grey is very supple with hints of blue which results in much more versatility than one would think of when hearing “alligator straps”. No matter if you wear this with suit and tie or jeans and tee – it'll work out great. And the Cartier-style buckle keeps the overall attire complete!

Green Alcantara Cartier Tank

I’ve been very intrigued by the new Alcantara straps and am really glad I added this one to the bunch. As a material mostly known for its use in car seats I was curious how these would turn out as a watch strap. And the feel is incredible. So soft to the touch, yet very consistent in color, without the typical differences often appearing in Alcantara when brushed to either side. This feels so much like suede it’s hard to believe it’s not actual leather. Combined with the dark green color this strap adds a certain sportive vibe to the Cartier while retaining an all-around refined look.

Purple Crazy Horse Side-Stitch

Time to add some more color! The purple is so deep it makes me want to listen to ´smoke on the water’. No? Well anyway, it fits the Tank really well and makes it look more casual without being too flashy. I think it can best be described as a “second look” kind of strap, only revealing the color to your bystanders when they pay attention to it. It will be great to see the soft, nubuck-like crazy horse (cow) leather develop some patina while being worn and turn into different shades of purple.

Black Shell Cordovan Slim

The all-black watch of course needs an all-black companion aside from the all-black alligator strap it’s retailed with. While the original strap looks phenomenal, like many brands OEM straps it’s very stiff, needs a lot of wearing in and is overall not especially comfortable. Here’s where the cordovan comes in. The deep black color and the smooth, basically untextured surface match the watches aesthetic perfectly. Add the softness and comfort and this pick was a no-brainer - especially when considering how extremely durable cordovan leather is.