Written By: Christine Texeira

Animal print is a popular style but one that is often difficult to keep fashionable instead of tacky. Too much or the wrong kind can be a complete disaster, so keeping it understated and neutral is a safe and usually successful choice. Among furry, feline prints, snake skin is the print and material closest to the fine leathers on many high-fashion watch bands. Cartier’s Tank Solo W5200020 brings elegance over to the wild side with its reptilian palette.

The band is a gorgeous brown, tan and cream python skin connected by an adjustable deployment buckle so it stays on when you want it on and comes off easily when you don’t. A slightly rectangular steel case is wider on the vertical sides and extends out farther to the right with a steel crown. The crown is set with a blue synthetic spinel cabochon, which, though sounding incredibly complicated, simply means that a man-made version of the mineral, spinel, has been shaped and polished (instead of faceted, with all the sides, as is usually done) and then placed within the crown.

The Cartier Tank Solo W5200020’s face is simple, nearly sparse. No minute or hour markers, just metal hands, sword-shaped and plated with rhodium, and the signature Cartier name near the top. The simplicity here is for a purpose, serving to maintain focus on the python skin which continues into the face. Though a consistent and lighter shade, this lacquered pattern would become busy with too many other shapes or materials within the face.  Further features include the sapphire crystal, which is resistant to scratching in order to keep your investment in excellent condition as long as possible; quartz movement with Cartier caliber 157; and water resistance down to 100 feet or 30 meters.

Pros:

• Neutral tone allows for wear with almost any outfit
• Can be worn casual or evening

Cons:

• Difficult to actually discern the time with no hour markers
• Crown widens the case, making the watch wider

Not a lover of animal print? Like using a watch to tell the time? Try other watches in Cartier’s Tank Solo collection like W5200005. But if you do find yourself to be a lover of animal prints, when done tastefully, and can sacrifice the modest necessity of telling time with a watch, then Cartier’s Tank Solo W5200020 is a great fit. Truly, it is a lovely and versatile accessory, but far more a piece of jewelery than a functional watch.