The Tank Basculante, a Cartier watch, was introduced in 1932 and used a unique cabriolet system to flip the dial upside down. It was developed by Spécialités Horlogères, who also developed the Reverso's horizontal sliding case. The Tank Basculante exemplifies "form follows form" and is considered an example of Cartier's design. Until 1999, Basculantes were hard to find, with less than 2,000 made from 1920 to 1960. In the 1990s, Cartier started producing the Tank Basculante more regularly, with unique dials and limited editions. The Tank Basculante 150th Anniversary Limited Edition, produced to commemorate Cartier's founding, features a ruby cabochon and guilloche pattern in the center of the dial. Although not the most important or consequential Tank ever made, it is fun and different, with an intermittent history worth knowing about.
Cartier revived iconic Tank Basculantes for its CPCP collection, featuring limited editions in yellow gold and display casebacks. These modern Basculantes share similar dimensions, F. Piguet caliber 610, and Cartier's "C" motif.
Cartier produced the steel mechanical Tank Basculante reference 2390 from the late '90s to 2006. It had the same dimensions as gold special editions and was powered by the same caliber MC 060. Cartier also introduced the quartz Basculante ref. 2405. Special editions include the Australian Federation, Paris Boutique Edition, Millennium Edition, and Australian Federation LE. The Basculante has a unique cabriolet case and is a popular watch due to its appeal to modern tastes. However, it has been discontinued and is now harder to find.
