The Cartier Ballon Bleu stands out with its round case, blue sapphire cabochon, and enclosed crown. The most exclusive and luxurious models feature a flying tourbillon, or glisten with over 1,600 diamonds.

By Sebastian Swart

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Parisian design, Swiss precision

The Parisian Maison Cartier is world-famous for its angular Santos and Tank watches. With the watches in the Ballon Bleu series launched in 2007, the manufacture has also been offering round watches ever since. This collection contains everything from delicate, 28-mm women's models to extra-flat, 46-mm men's timepieces. All of these models have an integrated crown capped with a blue sapphire or spinel cabochon that’s protected by a curved crown guard.

Depending on the version, the case of a Ballon Bleu is made of stainless steel, rose gold, white gold, or yellow gold. Cartier also offers two-tone versions in stainless steel and gold. Many models are also embellished with diamonds. The dials of most pieces feature Roman numerals as hour markers - a characteristic feature of many Cartier watches.

A top model in the collection is the Ballon Bleu Regulator with a tourbillon, which is limited to just 50 pieces. The 46-mm rose gold watch has a fully skeletonized dial and is equipped with a manual caliber.

In terms of caliber technology, Cartier offers high-precision quartz movements, which are used in the smaller models in particular, alongside mechanical automatic movements, which are used in their larger timepieces.

Reasons To Buy A Cartier Ballon Bleu

Blue sapphire or spinel on the crown
Material: Stainless steel, yellow or rose gold, and two-tone
Mechanical and quartz calibers
Dial and case set with diamonds

Cartier Ballon Bleu Price Overview

Ballon Bleu ref. no.	Price (approx.)	Price development *
WJBB0050	35,301.55 USD	+/- 0%
WGBB0050	18,680.52 USD	+2%
W4BB0037	12,392.67 USD	-7%
WSBB0044	6,784.02 USD	+1%
W6920071	6,717.25 USD	+19%
*Annual average

How much does a Cartier Ballon Bleu cost?

The most affordable entry into Cartier's Ballon Bleu collection is the ladies' models in stainless steel and quartz. You can buy an unworn 28-mm version with the reference number WSBB0073 for around - on Chrono24. The 42-mm stainless steel men's model with an automatic caliber and leather strap (Ref. WSBB0026) is priced at around 7,219.18 USD. When precious metals come into play, prices of course go up. For example, you can expect an average price of around 12,153.22 USD for the 36-mm two-tone model with the reference number W2BB0038.

The case and bracelet of the 33-mm Ballon Bleu ref. WGBB0054 are made of rose gold, and the dial is also set with diamonds. An investment of approximately 28,921.6 USD is required for this watch. The reference WJBB0083 has a 36-mm case. In addition to the dial, the bezel of this watch is also set with diamonds. Price: around 43,607.46 USD. A top-of-the-range model such as the limited-edition Ballon Bleu Regulator Tourbillon (Ref. W6920045) is available for around 118,253.57 USD.

Ballon Bleu Stainless Steel Models

At the time of going to press in May 2025, Cartier was offering a total of 16 different stainless steel Ballon Bleu models. The model with the reference number WSBB0073 is the smallest of these variants with a case diameter of 28 mm. The quartz watch has a bright opaline dial and a stainless steel strap. The reference WSBB0044 is the 33-mm version on a stainless steel bracelet and has an automatic movement. The 40-mm automatic watch can be found under the reference number WSBB0040, while the 42-mm model bears the reference number WSBB0049.

If you prefer a case diameter of 33 mm and a black alligator leather strap, then the reference WSBB0030 is the watch for you. The variant with the reference number WSBB0028 is also worn on an alligator leather strap, but has a diameter of 36 mm. Variants with a diameter of 40 mm (ref. WSBB0039) and 42 mm (ref. WSBB0026) are also available.

Colored dials in blue, green, or pink are also available for certain models. The first color can be found on the 42-mm stainless steel watch with the reference number WSBB0027. The matching leather strap is also in blue. The 42-mm reference WSBB0071, on the other hand, has a green dial and is worn on a stainless steel bracelet.

References WSBB0068 and WSBB0062 have a diameter of 33 mm and are fitted with a stainless steel bracelet. The first watch has a pink-colored dial, while the time on the second watch is read on a blue dial.

Two-tone variants of the Ballon Bleu

Ballon Bleu two-tone watches are available in case diameters of 33 mm, 36 mm, and 42 mm. You can choose from models in stainless steel and 18-karat yellow gold, as well as steel and rose gold. Cartier manufactures the bezel, crown, and middle links of the bracelet in these precious metals for all references. Another common feature is an opaline-colored dial and an automatic movement.

The model with the reference number W2BB0037 is a stainless steel and yellow gold version with a diameter of 33 mm. The reference W2BB0038, on the other hand, measures 36 mm, while the 42-mm watch can be found under the reference number W2BB0039.

Cartier Ballon Bleu, two-tone, brown dial

If the combination of stainless steel and rose gold appeals to you more, then you should take a closer look at references W2BB0032 (33 mm), W2BB0033 (36 mm), and W2BB0034 (42 mm).

Rose Gold for the Ballon Bleu

Rose gold versions of the Ballon Bleu are available with case diameters between 33 mm and 42 mm. Depending on the model and reference, the watches are fitted with a rose gold bracelet or have a leather strap. While the vast majority of dials are opaline in color, individual references have colored dials. Particularly luxurious examples are richly set with diamonds. An automatic in-house movement ticks away in all rose gold Ballon Bleu watches.

Reference W6920097 is an example of one of the 33-mm models. This watch is worn on a brown alligator leather strap. The 36-mm version can be found under the reference number WGBB0009. Additional references are WGBB0035 (40 mm) and WGBB0030 (42 mm).

If you prefer a rose gold bracelet for the Ballon Bleu, the 33-mm model (ref. WGBB0042) just might be the right choice for you. A 40-mm version (ref. WGBB0039) is also available.

Ballon Bleu With Diamonds

Precious stones go well with stainless steel and precious metal. Cartier therefore has an entire range of Ballon Bleu timepieces which are lavishly adorned with diamonds.

Cartier Ballon Bleu, rose gold, diamonds

The smallest stainless steel model with a diamond setting is 28 mm in size and bears the reference number W4BB0034. The bezel of this watch is set with 42 diamonds (for a total of 0.48 carats). There are a further 19 diamonds on the dial. However, you have to mostly do without Roman indices here. Only the 12 o'clock position has them. A 33-mm model (ref. W4BB0035) and a 36-mm version (ref. W4BB0036) are also available. The number of diamonds increases slightly on the larger models.

If you can do without a dial with diamonds, you should take a closer look at reference W4BB0037. Only the bezel of this watch is set with 50 diamonds (0.37 carats). The dial of this 33-mm watch is pink in color. If you prefer a blue dial, then the reference W4BB0028 is worth a look.

The two 33-mm two-tone models of the Ballon Bleu with diamond setting bear the reference numbers W3BB0023 and W3BB0021. The bezel and dial of the former model are adorned with over 60 diamonds (0.63 carats). The precious stones also serve as hour indices here. In the latter reference, the diamonds (11 stones weighing 0.05 carats) are merely indices on the dial.

Rose Gold and Diamonds

Reference WGBB0052 is a 33-mm rose gold model set with diamonds. This watch features a total of 21 diamonds with a total weight of 0.10 carats on the dial, which has no Roman hour markers. The 36-mm model bears the reference number WGBB0053. Both watches are fitted with a blue leather strap.

If you’d like a gold bracelet, then the reference WJBB0082 is the 33-mm choice for you. The 36-mm version bears the reference number WJBB0083.

Only the bezel of the 33-mm Ballon Bleu (ref. WJBB0063) is set with diamonds (0.68 carats). The watch is also available in sizes of 36 mm (ref. WJBB0064) and 40 mm (ref. WJBB0057).

FAQs

What materials are available for the Ballon Bleu?

Cartier offers the Ballon Bleu in stainless steel, in two-tone models consisting of stainless steel and rose or yellow gold, as well as with cases and bracelets in 18-karat rose gold. Many references are also embellished with diamonds.

Which movements are used in the Ballon Bleu?

The Cartier Ballon Bleu is equipped with either a quartz movement or a mechanical automatic movement. While the smaller ladies' models generally rely on a precise quartz caliber, the larger models usually have an automatic movement.

How waterproof is a Ballon Bleu?

Most Ballon Bleu models have a water resistance of up to 30 meters (3 bar, 98 feet) and thus offer protection against water splashes. They are not designed for activities such as swimming or diving.