Skip to main content

Cartier Tank Louis Small

Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18K Yellow Gold Watch W1529856
Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18K Yellow Gold Watch W1529856

Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18K Yellow Gold Watch W1529856

By Cartier

Located in Banbury, GB

SKU 33301812 Comes With Full Set (Box + Card) Date 2016 RRP £9,800 Incl. Taxes / €11,400 Incl. Taxes / $10,600 Excl. Taxes Model W1529856 Serial Number 24********** Metal 18k Yellow ...

Category

2010s Swiss Wrist Watches

Materials

Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Cartier Tank Louis Small WGTA0010 18K Rose Gold Ladies Watch Box Papers
Cartier Tank Louis Small WGTA0010 18K Rose Gold Ladies Watch Box Papers

Cartier Tank Louis Small WGTA0010 18K Rose Gold Ladies Watch Box Papers

By Cartier

Located in Great Neck, NY

Cartier Tank Louis WGTA0010 / 3914 Ladies Watch. 22mm 18K rose gold case. Silver dial with blue

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Wrist Watches

Recent Sales

Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k Yellow Gold Watch W1529856
Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k Yellow Gold Watch W1529856

Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k Yellow Gold Watch W1529856

By Cartier

Located in Banbury, GB

The Cartier Tank Louis Small Ladies’ Watch was inspired by the classic design that was once worn by

Category

2010s French Wrist Watches

Materials

Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k Yellow Gold Watch W1529856
Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k Yellow Gold Watch W1529856

Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k Yellow Gold Watch W1529856

By Cartier

Located in Banbury, GB

Brand: Cartier Model: Tank Louis Age: 2010 Gender: Ladies/Unisex Complete With: Dandelion Antiques

Category

2010s French Wrist Watches

Materials

Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k Yellow Gold Watch W1529856
Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k Yellow Gold Watch W1529856

Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k Yellow Gold Watch W1529856

By Cartier

Located in Banbury, GB

Dandelion Antiques Code AT-0755 Brand Cartier Model No

Category

Early 2000s French Wrist Watches

Materials

Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k Yellow Gold Watch W1529856
Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k Yellow Gold Watch W1529856

Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k Yellow Gold Watch W1529856

By Cartier

Located in Banbury, GB

Dandelion Antiques Code AT-0854 Brand Cartier Model No

Category

2010s French Wrist Watches

Materials

Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k Yellow Gold Watch W1529856
Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k Yellow Gold Watch W1529856

Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k Yellow Gold Watch W1529856

By Cartier

Located in Banbury, GB

Dandelion Antiques Code AT-0865 Brand Cartier Model No

Category

2010s French Wrist Watches

Materials

Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k White Gold Watch W1541056
Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k White Gold Watch W1541056

Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k White Gold Watch W1541056

By Cartier

Located in Banbury, GB

Dandelion Antiques Code AT-0886 Brand Cartier Model No

Category

2010s French Wrist Watches

Materials

Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold

Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k Yellow Gold Watch W1529856
Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k Yellow Gold Watch W1529856

Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k Yellow Gold Watch W1529856

By Cartier

Located in Banbury, GB

Dandelion Antiques Code AT-0709 Brand Cartier Model No

Category

2010s French Wrist Watches

Materials

Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k Yellow Gold Watch W1529856
Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k Yellow Gold Watch W1529856

Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k Yellow Gold Watch W1529856

By Cartier

Located in Banbury, GB

SKU 33301781 Comes With Full Set (Box + Card) Date 2019 Model W1529856 Serial Number 24********** Metal 18k Yellow Gold Stones Sapphire Weight 36.1 g Condition Excellent Other Info W...

Category

2010s French Wrist Watches

Materials

Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Cartier Tank Louis Cartier Small Model 18ct Gold Strap Watch W1529856
Cartier Tank Louis Cartier Small Model 18ct Gold Strap Watch W1529856

Cartier Tank Louis Cartier Small Model 18ct Gold Strap Watch W1529856

By Cartier

Located in Banbury, GB

Tank Louis Cartier watch, small model, quartz movement. Case in 18K yellow gold, beaded crown set

Category

2010s French Wrist Watches

Materials

Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold

Cartier Tank Louis 18K Yellow Gold Watch Small Model W1529856
Cartier Tank Louis 18K Yellow Gold Watch Small Model W1529856

Cartier Tank Louis 18K Yellow Gold Watch Small Model W1529856

By Cartier

Located in Banbury, GB

SKU 33301654 Comes With Full Set (Box + Card) Date 2015 Model W1529856 Serial Number 24********* Metal 18k Yellow Gold Materials Calfskin Stones Sapphire Weight Approximately 34.22 g...

Category

2010s French Wrist Watches

Materials

Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Cartier Tank Louis 78087 SM Swiss 18k YG 1980s
Cartier Tank Louis 78087 SM Swiss 18k YG 1980s

Cartier Tank Louis 78087 SM Swiss 18k YG 1980s

By Cartier

Located in SYDNEY, AU

Cartier Tank Louis SM (Small Model) from the 1980s, showcasing the enduring elegance and minimalist design

Category

Vintage 1980s Wrist Watches

Cartier Tank Louis 78087 SM Ladies Service Dial 1980s
Cartier Tank Louis 78087 SM Ladies Service Dial 1980s

Cartier Tank Louis 78087 SM Ladies Service Dial 1980s

By Cartier

Located in SYDNEY, AU

Cartier Tank Louis SM (Small Model) from the 1980s — a quintessential expression of Cartier’s timeless

Category

Vintage 1980s Wrist Watches

Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k Yellow Gold Watch W1529856
Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k Yellow Gold Watch W1529856

Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k Yellow Gold Watch W1529856

By Cartier

Located in Banbury, GB

Dandelion Antiques Code AT-0854 Brand Cartier Model No

Category

2010s French Wrist Watches

Materials

Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k Yellow Gold Watch W1529856
Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k Yellow Gold Watch W1529856

Cartier Tank Louis Small Model 18k Yellow Gold Watch W1529856

By Cartier

Located in Banbury, GB

Dandelion Antiques Code AT-0709 Brand Cartier Model No

Category

2010s French Wrist Watches

Materials

Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856
Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856

By Cartier

Located in Atlanta, GA

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856. Quartz movement. 18k yellow

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Wrist Watches

Materials

Yellow Gold

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856
Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856

By Cartier

Located in Atlanta, GA

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856. Quartz movement. 18k yellow

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Wrist Watches

Materials

Yellow Gold

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856
Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856

By Cartier

Located in Atlanta, GA

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856. Quartz movement. 18k yellow

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Wrist Watches

Materials

Yellow Gold

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856
Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856

By Cartier

Located in Atlanta, GA

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856. Quartz movement. 18k yellow

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Wrist Watches

Materials

Yellow Gold

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856
Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856

By Cartier

Located in Atlanta, GA

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856. Quartz movement. 18k yellow

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Wrist Watches

Materials

Yellow Gold, Silver, Steel

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Ladies Watch W1529856 Box Papers
Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Ladies Watch W1529856 Box Papers

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Ladies Watch W1529856 Box Papers

By Cartier

Located in Atlanta, GA

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Ladies Watch W1529856 Box Papers. Quartz movement. 18k yellow

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Wrist Watches

Materials

Yellow Gold

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856
Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856

By Cartier

Located in Atlanta, GA

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856. Quartz movement. 18k yellow

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Wrist Watches

Materials

Yellow Gold

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856
Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856

By Cartier

Located in Atlanta, GA

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856. Quartz movement. 18k yellow

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Wrist Watches

Materials

Yellow Gold

Cartier Tank Louis Normale Cartier 66014 Small SM PM Mini 18k Gold, 1983
Cartier Tank Louis Normale Cartier 66014 Small SM PM Mini 18k Gold, 1983

Cartier Tank Louis Normale Cartier 66014 Small SM PM Mini 18k Gold, 1983

By Cartier

Located in Neuilly-sur-Seine, IDF

Cartier. MODEL : Tank Normale de Cartier Ref : 66014 Mini - PM – SM The serial numbers are voluntarily

Category

Vintage 1980s Swiss Wrist Watches

Materials

Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold

Tank Louis Cartier LC 67117 18k Gold 1977 Sapphire Cabochon Railway 78087
Tank Louis Cartier LC 67117 18k Gold 1977 Sapphire Cabochon Railway 78087

Tank Louis Cartier LC 67117 18k Gold 1977 Sapphire Cabochon Railway 78087

By Cartier

Located in Neuilly-sur-Seine, IDF

perfect gift and invest with this fabulous Tank Louis de Cartier. MODEL : Tank Louis Cartier LC Ref

Category

Vintage 1970s Swiss Wrist Watches

Materials

Sapphire, 18k Gold

Tank Louis Cartier LC 67117 18k Gold 1977 Box and Servicing Papers 78087
Tank Louis Cartier LC 67117 18k Gold 1977 Box and Servicing Papers 78087

Tank Louis Cartier LC 67117 18k Gold 1977 Box and Servicing Papers 78087

By Cartier

Located in Neuilly-sur-Seine, IDF

perfect gift and invest with this fabulous Tank Louis de Cartier. MODEL : Tank Louis Cartier LC Ref

Category

Vintage 1970s Swiss Wrist Watches

Materials

18k Gold

Cartier Tank Louis 67117 18k Gold 1977 Full Set Box and Papers 78087
Cartier Tank Louis 67117 18k Gold 1977 Full Set Box and Papers 78087

Cartier Tank Louis 67117 18k Gold 1977 Full Set Box and Papers 78087

By Cartier

Located in Neuilly-sur-Seine, IDF

perfect gift and invest with this fabulous Tank Louis de Cartier. MODEL : Tank Louis Cartier LC Ref

Category

Vintage 1970s Swiss Wrist Watches

Materials

Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856
Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856

By Cartier

Located in Atlanta, GA

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856. Quartz movement. 18k yellow

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Wrist Watches

Materials

Yellow Gold

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856
Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856

By Cartier

Located in Atlanta, GA

Cartier Tank Louis Small Yellow Gold Brown Strap Ladies Watch W1529856. Quartz movement. 18k yellow

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Wrist Watches

Materials

Yellow Gold

Small Louis Cartier Tank Green Leather Strap, Quartz, 18 Karat Gold, Warranty
Small Louis Cartier Tank Green Leather Strap, Quartz, 18 Karat Gold, Warranty

Small Louis Cartier Tank Green Leather Strap, Quartz, 18 Karat Gold, Warranty

By Cartier

Located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA

Small Louis Cartier Tank Green Leather Strap, Quartz, 18K Yellow Gold, Warranty. •REFERENCE NO

Category

Early 2000s Wrist Watches

Materials

18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Small Louis Cartier Tank 18 Karat Gold Grain de Riz Mesh Bracelet Quartz Watch
Small Louis Cartier Tank 18 Karat Gold Grain de Riz Mesh Bracelet Quartz Watch

Small Louis Cartier Tank 18 Karat Gold Grain de Riz Mesh Bracelet Quartz Watch

By Cartier

Located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA

Classic Louis Cartier Tank designed in premium 18 karat yellow gold. Soft and comfortable mesh

Category

Early 2000s Wrist Watches

Materials

18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Get Updated with New Arrivals
Save "Cartier Tank Louis Small", and we’ll notify you when there are new listings in this category.

Cartier Tank Louis Small For Sale on 1stDibs

On 1stDibs, you can find the most appropriate cartier tank louis small for your needs in our varied inventory. Frequently made of 18k Gold, Gold and Yellow Gold, this item was constructed with great care. While most can agree that any cartier tank louis small from our collection can easily elevate most outfits, but the choice of a Blue Sapphire version from the 10 available is guaranteed to add a special touch to your ensemble. Today, if you’re looking for a cabochon version of this piece and are unable to find the perfect match, our selection also includes round cut alternatives. If you’re browsing our inventory for a cartier tank louis small, you’ll find that many are available today for women, but there are still pieces to choose from for unisex and men.

How Much is a Cartier Tank Louis Small?

The price for a cartier tank louis small starts at $3,950 and tops out at $10,800 with these watches, on average, selling for $6,830.

Cartier for sale on 1stDibs

For its extraordinary range of bracelets, watches, rings and other adornments, French luxury house Cartier is undeniably one of the most well known and internationally revered jewelers in the world among clients both existing and aspirational.

Perhaps 1847 was not the ideal time to open a new watchmaking and jewelry business, as the French Revolution was not kind to the aristocracy who could afford such luxuries. Nevertheless, it was the year Louis-François Cartier (1819–1904) — who was born into poverty — founded his eponymous empire, assuming control of the workshop of watchmaker Adolphe Picard, under whom he had previously been employed as an assistant. Of course, in the beginning, it was a relatively modest affair, but by the late 1850s, Cartier had its first royal client, Princess Mathilde Bonaparte, niece of Napoleon Bonaparte, who commissioned the jeweler to design brooches, earrings and other accessories.

Under the leadership of Louis-François’s son, Alfred, who took over in 1874, business boomed. Royalty around the world wore Cartier pieces, including Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, the Maharaja of Patiala and King Edward VII, who had 27 tiaras made by the jewelry house for his coronation in 1902 and issued Cartier a royal warrant in 1904. (Today, the British royal family still dons Cartier pieces; Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, regularly sports a Ballon Bleu de Cartier watch.)

Cartier’s golden years, however, began when Alfred introduced his three sons, Louis, Pierre and Jacques, to the business. The brothers expanded Cartier globally: Louis reigned in Paris, Pierre in New York and Jacques in London, ensuring their brand’s consistency at their branches across the world. The trio also brought in such talents as Charles Jacqueau and Jeanne Toussaint.

One of Cartier’s earliest major successes was the Santos de Cartier watch — one of the world's first modern wristwatches for men. (Previously, a large number of people were using only pocket watches.) Louis designed the timepiece in 1904 for his friend, popular Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, who wanted to be able to check the time more easily while flying.

Cartier’s other famous timepieces include the Tank watch, which was inspired by the linear form of military tanks during World War I, and the so-called mystery clocks. Invented by watchmaker and magician Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin and later crafted exclusively for Cartier in the house’s workshop by watchmaker Maurice Couët, the mystery clocks were so named because the integration of glass dials on which the clocks’ hands would seemingly float as well as structures that are hidden away within the base give the illusion that they operate without machinery.

On the jewelry side of the business, Cartier’s internationally renowned offerings include the Tutti Frutti collection, which featured colorful carved gemstones inspired by Jacques’s trip to India and grew in popularity during the Art Deco years; the panthère motif, which has been incorporated into everything from brooches to rings; and the Love bracelet, a minimal, modernist locking bangle inspired by medieval chastity belts that transformed fine jewelry.

While the Cartier family sold the business following the death of Pierre in 1964, the brand continues to innovate today, renewing old hits and creating new masterpieces.

Find contemporary and vintage Cartier watches, engagement rings, necklaces and other accessories on 1stDibs.

Why Gold Shines in Jewelry Craftsmanship

Gold is the feel-good metal, the serotonin of jewelry. Wear vintage and antique gold necklaces, watches, gold bracelets or gold rings and you feel happy, you feel dressed, you feel, well, yourself. 

Gold, especially yellow gold, with its rich patina and ancient pedigree going back thousands of years, is the steady standby, the well-mannered metal of choice. Any discussion of this lustrous metal comes down to a basic truth: Gold is elementary, my dear. Gold jewelry that couples the mystique of the metal with superb design and craftsmanship achieves the status of an enduring classic. Many luxury houses have given us some of our most treasured and lasting examples of gold jewelry over the years.

Since its founding, in 1837, Tiffany & Co. has built its reputation on its company jewelry as well as its coterie of boutique designers, which has included Jean Schlumberger, Donald Claflin, Angela Cummings and Elsa Peretti. There are numerous gold Tiffany classics worth citing. Some are accented with gemstones, but all stand out for their design and the workmanship displayed.

For the woman who prefers a minimalist look, the Tiffany & Co. twist bangle (thin, slightly ovoid) is stylishly simple. For Cummings devotees, signature pieces feature hard stone inlay, such as her pairs of gold ear clips inlaid with black jade (a play on the classic Chanel black and tan), or bangles whose design recalls ocean waves, with undulating lines of lapis lazuli and mother-of-pearl. And just about any design by the great Jean Schlumberger is by definition a classic.

Even had he eschewed stones and diamonds, Southern-born David Webb would be hailed for the vast arsenal of heavy gold jewelry he designed. Gold, usually hammered or textured in some manner, defines great David Webb jewelry. The self-taught jeweler made very au courant pieces while drawing inspiration from ancient and out-of-the-way sources — East meets West in the commanding gold necklaces made by Webb in the early 1970s. The same could be said for his endlessly varied gold cuffs.

In Europe, many houses have given us gold jewelry that sets the highest standard for excellence, pieces that were highly sought after when they were made and continue to be so. 

Numerous designs from Cartier are homages to gold. There are the classic Trinity rings, necklaces and bracelets — trifectas of yellow, white and rose gold. As a testament to the power of love, consider the endurance of the Cartier Love bracelet.

Aldo Cipullo, Cartier’s top in-house designer from the late 1960s into the early ’70s, made history in 1969 with the Love bracelet. Cipullo frequently said that the Love bracelet was born of a sleepless night contemplating a love affair gone wrong and his realization that “the only remnants he possessed of the romance were memories.” He distilled the urge to keep a loved one close into a slim 18-karat gold bangle. 

BVLGARI and its coin jewelry, gemme nummarie, hit the jackpot when the line launched in the 1960s. The line has been perennially popular. BVLGARI coin jewelry features ancient Greek and Roman coins embedded in striking gold mounts, usually hung on thick link necklaces of varying lengths. In the 1970s, BVLGARI introduced the Tubogas line, most often made in yellow gold. The Tubogas watches are classics, and then there is the Serpenti, the house's outstanding snake-themed watches and bracelets.

A collection called Monete that incorporated the gold coins is one of several iconic BVLGARI lines that debuted in the 1970s and ’80s, catering to a new generation of empowered women. Just as designers like Halston and Yves Saint Laurent were popularizing fuss-free ready-to-wear fashion for women on the go, BVLGARI offered jewels to be lived in

Since Van Cleef & Arpels opened its Place Vendôme doors in 1906, collection after collection of jewelry classics have enchanted the public. As predominantly expressed in a honeycomb of gold, there is the Ludo watch and accessories, circa the 1920s, and the golden Zip necklace, 1951, whose ingenious transformation of the traditional zipper was originally proposed by the Duchess of Windsor. Van Cleef's Alhambra, with its Moroccan motif, was introduced in 1968 and from the start its popularity pivoted on royalty and celebrity status. It remains one of VCA’s most popular and collected styles.

Mention must be made of Buccellati, whose name is synonymous with gold so finely spun that it suggests tapestry. The house’s many gold bracelets, typically embellished with a few or many diamonds, signified taste and distinction and are always in favor on the secondary market. Other important mid-20th-century houses known for their gold-themed jewelry include Hermès and Ilias Lalaounis.

Find a stunning collection of vintage and antique gold jewelry on 1stDibs.

Finding the Right Wrist-watches for You

Antique, vintage and luxury wristwatches have captured the hearts and minds of all manner of watch collectors as well as the watchmakers themselves — it's time you found your own.

Certain vintage watches for men and iconic watch designs for women are sought after not only because of their graceful proportions or innovative materials but also because of the illustrious histories of the houses that created them, histories that they stylishly embody.

Bulgari’s legendary Serpenti watch was on everyone’s list after the collection’s bold bracelet, which technically debuted after the timepiece, graced the wrist of actress Elizabeth Taylor. If anything, elaborately crafted timepieces — the unmistakably boxy silhouette of Cartier Tank watches, the elegant and minimal Calatrava designed by legendary Swiss house Patek Philippe — are even more effective than the shape we associate with traditional wristwatches.

Form watches — the all-encompassing moniker bestowed upon non-round watches — are making headlines and completing contemporary fashionable ensembles the world over. At the same time, both casual fans and careful collectors are drawn to the unbeatable charm of vintage styles, such as the icons designed by Omega that even James Bond can’t resist.

In the early days of watchmaking, watches were fragile enough that they necessitated protection from the elements. Now, wristwatches made of gold and steel can withstand the harshest climates — even 100 meters underwater, in the case of Rolex’s Submariner. Designer Gérald Genta, whose range of clients included Rolex, created for Audemars Piguet the first luxury sports timepiece to be made from stainless steel. First introduced in 1972, the Royal Oak was a perfect choice for blending the form and function that are now synonymous with sports watches.

Are you shopping for a wristwatch? It’s good to keep your needs as well as your specific personal style in mind: A smaller, subtle timepiece is a good fit for small wrists. When will you be wearing your new accessory? There’s a versatile model out there for everyday wear, while a rugged, feature-heavy watch is a safe bet if you’re prone to embarking on all-weather activities in the great outdoors.

Find antique, vintage and luxury wristwatches for sale on 1stDibs.