Visual Description
The Ref. 81006 is the Tank Must in its most sought-after single-color configuration: a deep burgundy lacquer dial that saturates the entire dial surface in a rich bordeaux tone. The painted black Roman numerals and railroad minute track sit atop the lacquer, and blued steel sword hands provide contrast against the warm red background. The vermeil case frames the dial in gold tones that complement the burgundy — a color combination that became synonymous with the Les Must de Cartier brand during the 1980s. At 23 × 31 mm, this is the larger Must case size, wearing as a unisex proportion that works across wrist sizes.
Reference Significance
The burgundy dial is the Must color. While the line offered blue, black, green, and white lacquer dials, burgundy became the hue most closely identified with Les Must de Cartier — it appeared across the entire product line, from watch dials to lighter lacquer to the signature Must packaging. Cartier's 2021 reissue of the Tank Must prominently featured a burgundy dial, confirming its status as the definitive Must colorway nearly 45 years after the original.
Among vintage Must references, the burgundy dial commands the strongest prices when found in excellent condition. The color's depth and warmth are impossible to appreciate from photographs alone — in person, the lacquer creates a luminous, almost liquid surface that changes character in different lighting. This visual quality is also what makes condition assessment so critical: any cracking, fading, or moisture damage breaks the uninterrupted lacquer surface that gives the dial its power.
Historical Context
Burgundy was one of the original colorways in the Les Must de Cartier palette when the line launched in the late 1970s. The choice was strategic — burgundy carried associations with French wine culture, warmth, and sophistication without the formality of black or the brightness of blue. It photographed well in the advertising campaigns that established Must as a lifestyle brand, and it coordinated with the gold vermeil case in a way that felt intentionally designed rather than incidentally matched.
The Ref. 81006 represents the standard larger-size burgundy Must in the quartz era. Earlier manual-wind burgundy examples exist under different reference numbers and are rarer, but the quartz 81006 was the commercial workhorse that put the burgundy Must on thousands of wrists through the 1980s.
What to Look For
Dial condition determines 70% of this watch's value. The burgundy lacquer should be uniform in color with no fading, no cracking, and no moisture damage. Fading is most common around the dial edges where UV exposure is highest — compare the color at the center of the dial to the edges under strong light. Cracking typically appears as fine lines radiating from the edges inward, and once started, it progresses. A truly pristine burgundy lacquer Must is a rare find among 40-year-old examples.
Verify the burgundy color is original and has not been refinished. Refinished lacquer dials are identifiable by overly uniform color (original lacquer develops subtle patina variations), incorrect gloss level, or paint that extends over the minute track rather than sitting beneath it. An original dial, even with minor patina, is always preferable to a refinished one.
The vermeil case should show consistent gold coverage with minimal wear-through. Check the standard Must case back stampings — serial number, "ARGENT" or "925," and the Cartier branding should all be present and legible.