Quick answer
The Cartier Ballon Bleu de Cartier Extra Large is a 42 mm watch. Replicas in that size sell for about $180 to $600. Price tracks three things: movement, case metal, and dial print. A 42 mm counterfeit is not the same watch as the 36 mm or 33 mm model, so confirm the case size before you pay.
Genuine specs the replicas copy
Cartier lists the steel 42 mm Ballon Bleu (reference W69012Z4) with these numbers. Replica makers work from the same list.
- Case diameter: 42 mm
- Case thickness: about 13 mm
- Movement: caliber 049, automatic, built on the ETA 2892-A2
- Crystal: sapphire
- Crown: fluted, set at 3 o'clock under a crown guard, with a sapphire cabochon
- Dial: Roman numerals, blued steel sword hands, date at 3 o'clock, secret signature inside the VII
- Strap: alligator leather or steel bracelet
Genuine steel 42 mm examples trade on the secondary market in the mid four figures in US dollars. That gap drives the replica market.
Grades
Movement
Three tiers appear in the 42 mm case. The lowest uses a Chinese automatic at 21,600 vph with a 40 hour reserve. The middle uses a Miyota 9015 at 28,800 vph with a 42 hour reserve. The top uses a clone of the ETA 2892-A2 at 28,800 vph with a 42 hour reserve and a decorated rotor. Ask for photos of the movement and the balance wheel rate.
Case metal
Low grade cases use 316L steel with gold plating 3 to 5 microns thick. Better cases use 316L or 904L steel with a 10 to 20 micron gold wrap. Solid gold replicas exist. Some cost more than a genuine steel model.
Dial and crystal
Dial print is where most 42 mm replicas fail. Check the Roman numerals for even weight, check the minute track for dots, and check the secret signature inside the VII. Sapphire with anti reflective coating on both sides is standard at the top grade. Mineral glass appears at the low end.
Price bands
- $180 to $250: 316L steel, Chinese automatic, mineral glass or single side AR sapphire, plated gold.
- $250 to $400: Miyota 9015 or a low grade 2824 clone, better dial print, 10 micron gold wrap.
- $400 to $600: 2892 clone, 904L option, double side AR sapphire, engraved caseback, correct crown guard shape.
Prices above $600 for a 42 mm Ballon Bleu replica are hard to justify. Prices below $150 point to a 40 mm or 38 mm case sold as extra large.
US legal status
Trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. 2320. Penalties reach 10 years for a first offense and 20 years for repeat offenses. US Customs and Border Protection seizes counterfeit watches at import. The personal use exemption does not cover counterfeits. A buyer in the US can face seizure. A seller can face prosecution.
Checks before you buy
- Measure the case. 42 mm across, 13 mm thick.
- Ask for the movement name and the beat rate.
- Ask for the gold thickness in microns.
- Ask for a photo of the caseback engravings.
- Confirm the return window in writing.