Concorde passengers could once buy an exclusive Cartier Tank watch onboard for $500 that's now worth more than a Rolex
Published on Oct 30, 2026 at 7:09 AM (UTC-4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Oct 30, 2026 at 7:09 AM (UTC-4)
Edited by
Ben Thompson
In the 1980s and 1990s, you could buy a Cartier Tank on board Concorde for ‘just’ $500.
It wasn’t cheap, but it was peanuts to someone who could afford a Concorde ticket.
More importantly, it’s pocket change compared to what these watches are worth today.
In some cases, they can be more expensive than some Rolex watches.
Some watches were like Bitcoin before Bitcoin
The watch market has cooled down since the absolutely manic frenzy of the pandemic.
Even so, some iconic watches are still worth a fortune, and the irony is that most were relatively ‘cheap’ when they were new.
Just like people did with Bitcoin, they bought these rarities for fun, almost without thinking about it, and fast-forward to decades later now they’re all rich.
So many Rolex models – Submariner models, especially the ‘Hulk’, Daytonas in general, etc. – are Holy Grails today, but they were a lot less expensive not that long ago.
They were never ‘cheap’, but they’ve transitioned from being expensive to becoming unattainable.
The Submariner ‘Hulk’ – so called because of its green dial and green bezel combo – was $8,500 when it was launched, but you can’t find one for less than $18,000-$20,000 now.
Then there’s the Cartier Tank.
This was never cheap, but at some point you could buy one for $500 aboard Concorde.
Well, it’s worth a lot more than that now.
This Concorde-branded Cartier Tank ‘only’ cost $500
Through the 1980s and 1990s, Air France offered a Concorde-branded Cartier Tank Must at $500.
You could buy it on board, and it was available in two sizes: 24x31mm or 21x28mm.
The watch was powered by a hand-wound mechanical movement, but there was also a quartz variant available.
It wasn’t cheap.
Adjusted for inflation, $500 in the 1980s and 1990s is equivalent to around $1,100 to $1,600 today.
But even so, the watch is worth a lot more than that.
This is how much you have to fork out if you want one
On the secondary market today, prices for a vintage Must de Cartier Tank Air France Concorde edition typically range from $3,000 to $6,000+, depending on several key factors.
Mechanical models – especially the larger men’s sizes – are generally more desirable than the quartz variant.
Models with the original Concorde x Air France presentation packaging, papers, and documentation confirming mid-flight purchase regularly push the price past $5,000-$7,000.
You can buy a Rolex for that.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
