Short answer
A fake Ballon Bleu small is a copy of the Cartier Ballon Bleu de Cartier in a 28 mm or 33 mm case. The genuine 28 mm uses a quartz caliber. Cartier sells the 33 mm in quartz and automatic versions. Buyers who search this term want a small round case, a blue cabochon crown, Roman numerals, and a flinqué dial. Copies come in several grades. Grade decides the movement, the crystal, and the case material.
Sizes
Cartier lists five Ballon Bleu case sizes: 28 mm, 33 mm, 36 mm, 40 mm, and 42 mm. Copy sellers use 'small' for the 28 mm and 'MM' or 'medium' for the 33 mm. Some listings call the 33 mm small. Ask for the case diameter in millimeters before payment.
- 28 mm: quartz, no date window, steel or gold tone, leather or steel bracelet.
- 33 mm: quartz and automatic references, some with a date at 3 o'clock.
- 36 mm and above: automatic, and large on a wrist under 16 cm.
Parts that decide quality
The crown sits inside a metal guard that flows into the bezel at 3 o'clock. Cartier uses a blue cabochon on the crown. Copies use glass, acrylic, or dyed stone, and the cabochon color runs purple or green. The genuine dial has a flinqué guilloché pattern, printed Roman numerals, and 'Swiss Made' at 6 o'clock. Copy dials show thick printing, a misaligned date, or a flat texture.
Genuine crystals are sapphire with an anti-reflective coat. Copies use mineral glass or uncoated sapphire. Quartz copies run a Miyota 2035 or a Ronda caliber. Automatic copies run a Seagull ST2130, a Miyota 9015, or a clone of the ETA 2824. Ask for a photo of the movement and a photo of the watch on a scale. Cartier does not publish a weight for every version, so compare the copy against the reference case number.
Water resistance
Cartier lists 30 m (3 bar) on most Ballon Bleu references. That rating covers splashes. Copies have no tested rating. Water enters a copy at the crown guard and the caseback gasket.
Price bands
Listings for small Ballon Bleu copies sit in two bands. Quartz with gold plating: about $50 to $90. Automatic stainless steel with a sapphire crystal: about $180 to $400. Terms, shipping, and seller location move the number. A price close to the used genuine market is a warning sign.
US law
18 U.S.C. § 2320 covers trafficking in counterfeit goods. A first offense carries up to 10 years in prison and a $2,000,000 fine for an individual. U.S. Customs and Border Protection seizes counterfeit shipments at ports of entry and can destroy them. A seized parcel can also bring a civil penalty. A counterfeit watch is not a legal substitute for a genuine one, and US courts treat the sale as trademark infringement.