Answer first
A fake Ballon Bleu 33708 in stainless steel stands or falls on three details: the crown assembly, the dial texture, and the bracelet drape. Nail those and the watch reads as a Ballon Bleu from arm's length. Miss them and no movement upgrade will rescue it. Inspect in this order: crown and cabochon, case profile, dial, hands, bracelet, clasp, case back, then movement.
One note before anything else. A 33708 is a replica. It is not made by Cartier, carries no Cartier warranty, and should never be sold to you as an authentic piece.
What the 33708 code means
Sellers use 33708 as a catalog code for the 36 mm steel Ballon Bleu with a fluted crown guard, a blue cabochon, and a guilloche dial. Cartier's own reference system uses W-prefixed codes, such as W69012Z4 for the 36 mm steel model. The number 33708 will not appear on a Cartier warranty card, so treat it as a build spec from the seller, not an official reference.
Specs to confirm before you buy
- Case size: 36 mm diameter, about 12 mm thick, with a rounded bezel that flows into the lugs.
- Crown: fluted guard with a domed blue cabochon sitting just proud of the metal.
- Crystal: sapphire or mineral, lightly domed, with no visible edge line where it meets the bezel.
- Dial: concentric guilloche rings and printed Roman numerals.
- Bracelet: multi-link steel with mixed polished and brushed surfaces.
Step-by-step inspection
- Set the watch on a plain surface in daylight and view the crown from the side. The cabochon must be a smooth dome whose color shifts from deep blue to near black as the angle changes.
- Run a fingernail along the crown guard flutes. They should feel crisp and consistent, with no burrs or leftover polishing compound in the grooves.
- Measure the case across 3 and 9 o'clock with calipers. A 33708 build should read 36 mm, give or take 0.3 mm. Anything near 34 mm is a 33 mm case sold as a 36.
- Look at the dial at a low angle under a lamp. Guilloche rings should catch light in even bands. Rings that look flat or show a moire pattern are a printed decal, not stamped metal.
- Examine the hands with a loupe. Sword hands should have a mirror-polished bevel over a matte top face, and the seconds hand should stop short of the minute track.
- Hold the bracelet by one end link and let it hang. Links should fall in a soft, continuous arc with no rattle. A stiff or clattering bracelet signals a stamped build.
- Open the clasp and press the release buttons. They should move with firm resistance and spring back on their own.
- Wind the crown twenty turns with the watch off the wrist and listen. Smooth, quiet operation points to a decent automatic. Grinding or a hollow buzz means a low-grade movement.
- Time the watch over 24 hours against a phone clock. Anything within plus or minus 10 seconds a day is acceptable at this price.
Movements you will see
Most 33708 replicas ship with one of four movements: a Miyota 9015, a Seagull ST2130, a clone of the ETA 2824, or a genuine ETA 2892-A2 in the top tier. Beat rate is the quickest check. Hold the case to your ear or use a timegrapher app. 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz) is correct. 21,600 (3 Hz) is a cheap 21-jewel movement dressed up as something better. Get the movement name in writing before you pay.
Fake Ballon Bleu 33708 Luxury Watch: A Buyer's Guide
Flaws that show up most often
- Cabochon seated in a plastic ring or glued too deep, so it reads flat.
- Case back engraving laser-etched and shallow instead of deep-stamped.
- Bracelet end links leaving a gap at the lugs.
- Date window cut off center, or a magnifier with the wrong curvature.
- Water resistance printed on the case back with no gasket inside.
Before you pay
- Ask for photos of the actual watch, not factory stock images.
- Request a shot of the crown straight on and at 45 degrees.
- Confirm case diameter and movement name in the listing text.
- Check the return window and whether water damage voids it.
- Skip any seller who claims the watch is genuine Cartier.