Cartier tank must vs francaise vs panthere

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nespressopod

Member
Aug 19, 2017
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#1
Hey all, I’m about to purchase my very first luxury watch from Cartier - am very torn between 3: the tank must, tank francaise and panthere (small). All in steel finish.

My wrist is fairly large at 6.5 inches, I want it to be a watch that can be both formal and casual at the same time - when I tried them all on in store the Must jumped out at me as a surprising contender since I pretty much had my heart set on the Panthere or Francaise!

My thoughts are:
Panthere is beautiful but so small, the medium is quite large and doesn’t feel as ornate.
Must is very elegant and larger face, but is it too large? (The one in pic is the smallest size)
Francaise’s face felt a bit duller than the other two, but I love the matte bracelet accents and the more masculine look (feels more pointed than the Must)

I can’t find many comparisons of these styles and was wondering if anyone had any insights if they previously went through the same process? Thanks a lot for any input :)

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#3
At this point, it's very much based on personal choice and taste.

Personally I do agree that the Must watch face does look a little big on your wrist. The Must feels like something in between the Panthere and Tank. The Must does have some rounded corner and softer lines but not as bold/masculine as the Francaise, but not as soft as the Panthere.

The Panthere and Francaise both look very nice. The Panthere gives a more elegant vibe but the Francaise is a lot more strong and masculine.

Here are some things that may help:
1) How do you think they compare with your current jewelry collection, your personal aesthetic, and your wardrobe?
2) Do you want a bolder piece that stands out against your jewelry/outfits? Or do you want something more complimentary?
3) Are you looking for something elegant, soft and feminine? Or do you prefer something more strong, with harder edges and lines?
4) Do you own any other watches? Which style of watch do you reach for the most? Are you looking for a design that is more similar to your current watches or something different?

Hope that helps! Good luck and happy shopping! :tup:
 
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#10
Thanks a lot everyone for your thoughts, so helpful! Am definitely leaning most towards the Francaise or Must now - will need to wait until Saturday to bite the bullet (can't wait), might even try on Francaise in medium and Must in large as well just to get a bit more of an idea of how they'll sit on my wrist.
Panthere is still in my wishlist but perhaps a medium in gold...but will need to save a fair few years for that :giggle:
 
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#12
If you’re going back in I would definitely try on the Francaise in the medium. I like The francaise of the 3 you posted above It’s on my wishlist too! Although I’m a bit torn between that and a simple Must with leather band. Decisions decisions!
 
#14
nespressopod said:
Thanks a lot everyone for your thoughts, so helpful! Am definitely leaning most towards the Francaise or Must now - will need to wait until Saturday to bite the bullet (can't wait), might even try on Francaise in medium and Must in large as well just to get a bit more of an idea of how they'll sit on my wrist.
Panthere is still in my wishlist but perhaps a medium in gold...but will need to save a fair few years for that :giggle:
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I hope your heart has settled on one of these three beautiful options! I vote for tank must as the best on your wrist!

I am in the exact same boat as you- deciding btw the panthere and the tank must for my first Cartier watch. Something your post made me realise is that if you have the tank must with steel bracelet, you can interchange for a leather band when you want to change it up! The smaller size looks great with a double wrap band.

I have been trying to research if the panthere band can change out but I have only found that vintage ones sold with leather bands- but they look a bit off because of the elongated lugs. I have emailed Cartier customer service to see if they sell leather bands for the P but have not received a response.

If any other Cartier Panthere owners can chime in, that would be great!
 
#15
Techstep said:
I hope your heart has settled on one of these three beautiful options! I vote for tank must as the best on your wrist!

I am in the exact same boat as you- deciding btw the panthere and the tank must for my first Cartier watch. Something your post made me realise is that if you have the tank must with steel bracelet, you can interchange for a leather band when you want to change it up! The smaller size looks great with a double wrap band.

I have been trying to research if the panthere band can change out but I have only found that vintage ones sold with leather bands- but they look a bit off because of the elongated lugs. I have emailed Cartier customer service to see if they sell leather bands for the P but have not received a response.

If any other Cartier Panthere owners can chime in, that would be great!
Click to expand...
Hi there, I’m making the same exact decision right now so was wondering which watch you eventually went with. I’d love the input :)
 
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