s1nn3d
1
Cartier Tank "New York"?
Hi!
I have this Cartier Tank that was handed down to me by father after I
graduated in High School. It's a heirloom, in other words.
Unfortunately, being young then with no sense of provenance and
preferring instead more popular and brand new watches, I subsequently
neglected and basically have forgotten this heirloom until recently.
In such bad condition, I went to the local Cartier service center to
have it totally reconditioned. As the watch was being inspected, I was
surprised of being told that the timepiece I have is not a Cartier Tank
Swiss but rather a Cartier Tank New York. So I asked what exactly do
they mean. I know it's not fake cause I know first hand that my father
bought it from the sole Cartier AD in our country way back circa 80's,
in which the very service center I went to is owned and run by it as
well. In response to my query, they said it's not a fake Cartier watch.
It is a genuine Cartier watch but it is not Swiss made but rather made
by Cartier New York, or something to that effect.
My call for help (which I am humbly asking from Cartier watch owners, enthusiasts and collectors) comes in two parts.
First. Can someone enlighten me about this two versions or make? Is there such a thing? What's the history of it?
Second. After the service center made a total inspection of the watch,
the cost for the total overhaul and restoration of the watch, is roughly
4,000 USD. And here's the catch, almost nothing from the original watch
will remain. Not even the dial and the hands. It would basically be
brand new. So, I ask, is it worth it? What's the best alternative that I
can do?
I really want to restore the watch to its old glory considering it's the
first watch my father handed down to me. So any suggestions, remarks or
comments will be much appreciated.
Here are some pictures of the watch. One will notice that on the sides
of the case, there are no screws. That's the only immediate noticeable
difference that I could see between the two versions. The dimension is also different. This
'version' is more squarish than the Swiss made version.
Cartier Tank "New York"?
