By Martin Green
What do watch journalists do when they are not writing about the nuts and bolts of the industries newest models or lingering over vintage pieces from forgotten times?
They take part in a past time that is favorite amongst watch collectors and connoisseurs world wide; they sit down in a comfortable chair, with their favorite drink in hand, a couple of watches on the table, some friends joined around it and discuss watches! It’s as exhilarating as it is relaxing. Passionate conversations and discussions hit the air, often focused on who is the boldest, biggest, most advanced, slimmest, most beautiful, first, last in any watch category.
These questions often have no answer, but that doesn’t stop us from trying to find one. Here at Watchmatchmaker.com we are no different. That’s why we are starting a topic called “Battle of Watches”. Here Meehna Goldsmith will battle Martin Green to decide who comes up with the ultimate watch in any given category. The rules:
• Each contender has 2 chances to come up with his/here most ultimate watch in the given category.
• Wristwatches only
• No limit on brands, make, year, etc.
• After the battle it is up to our respected readers to argue which watch is the ultimate winner out of the 4 watches.
First up: the dress watch
Martin Green throws the first punch in the battle of the ultimate dress watch, and goes directly to the core.
A dress watch should always posses a true sense of understatement. It should blend in with its surroundings without diminishing itself. A timekeeper with an hour and minute hand are more than enough, showing that time adapts to the owner and not the other way around.
The ultimate dress watch, the watch that possesses all the qualities and more, has actually been around since 1906! That is when Cartier introduced the Louis Cartier (LC) Tank. It is amazing to see that 4 basic lines, Roman numerals and a railroad track can create such a legendary dress watch. It all looks so simple but, as is supposed to be the case with a dress watch, it’s all in the details. The 4 lines that make up the case are actually part of a very clever case design because where you expect the pressure closed case back….there isn’t one! The case folds together and is actually locked in place by tiny screws at the side of the watch. A beautiful, sturdy construction that also results in a flush case back providing superb wearing comfort. Cartier made the LC Tank in 18k yellow gold and recently added pink gold to the collection, but the ultimate version is of course the one in understated platinum.
Another detail of this watch is on the dial, but for this one you have to look very closely. I’m not talking about Cartier’s not so secret signature at 7 o’clock, but a Guilloche dial that is so fine that you first mistake it as a plain dial. This dial, combined with the Roman numerals in black lacquer and two straight forward blued hands, makes reading the time very easy. A modest glance is all you need to tell when it’s time to leave the boardroom and move on to the golf course.
A dress watch should be as slim as possible, and the LC Tank is no exception. The pre-Collection Privée Cartier Paris (CPCP) trusted the Frederic Piguet caliber 21 to do this job. It is almost as old as the LC Tank itself because it was introduced in 1925. For the rest of the century it ruled as the thinnest manual wind movement with a height of only 1.73mm. When the LC Tank entered the CPCP it became not only slightly larger but also changed movements. Now the Frederic Piguet caliber 21 was replaced by a Piaget 438P that Cartier designated caliber 9701MC. An added attraction of this model is that Cartier incorporated a glass back so this beautiful movement can be seen in full glory. Of course the purists amongst us know that you don’t need to see the movement to know that you have superb quality around the wrist. Though a bit smaller in size, those in the know prefer the smaller, more original pre-CPCP model.
The cherry on top is that Cartier equipped all its LC Tanks with the best deployment folding clasp ever made. It was invented in 1910 and is still the benchmark of the market: easy to use, thin, yet also sturdy, combining to offer a lot of wearing comfort!
What more do you need in a dress watch?
Meehna Goldsmith's fascination with timepieces began with her parents' antique grandfather clock, whose harmonious ticks and chimes echoed throughout the house during her childhood. 
LC Tank, what else would one like to have.
All time classic with so much history.
GEO