Nobody saw Jeff Goldblum's renaissance coming. But come it did, on the wave of some risk-taking menswear moves: his 'n' hers Prada power dressing and zebra print creepers are just two examples. But when it comes to watches, Goldblum goes classic with a timepiece that'll age even better than the 66-year-old genetic anomaly.
That watch belongs to Cartier. At a Q&A for his latest film, 1950s psychodrama The Mountain, a Tank model found its way onboard. This is notable for several reasons. As a square-faced dial, the piece, typically, would have no business standing tick-to-tick with classic, dress watch stablemates. But it was Cartier that changed that. First launched in 1917, the Tank was inspired by the war machines of Renault, and the very first prototype was given to the American general John J. Pershing (big name on campus during World War I).
However, due to its age (and Cartier's long-standing ability to define what 'classic' means in horological terms), the Tank has slowly become a watch of great import: an aspirational piece that'll remain as effective in 2019 as it did in 1917. You needn't be a decorated war hero, either - sure, it helps - but like Goldblum, it's a subtle contrast to the stuff that makes a statement. Half-and-half geometric Hawaiian shirt? Strong move. Half-and-half-geometric Hawaiian shirt with an arm cannon that could finance a small European country? Bit too strong, my friend.
So, consider the Tank de Cartier a remedy, then - a very Swiss, very classic, very enduring remedy that'll likely be passed down for generations.
