For most people weighing a replica Ballon Bleu 33704 against other options, the version that makes the most sense is the 33mm steel automatic, because that is the configuration where the Ballon Bleu design actually lives: the softened round case, the crown guard that arcs into the bezel, and the blue cabochon on the crown. The comparison below sorts the options by five criteria: case size and wrist presence, cabochon and crown guard execution, dial work (guilloché texture, Roman numerals, blued sword hands), bracelet and clasp feel, and the movement inside. Read the legal note near the end before you spend anything, because a replica is a counterfeit good and importing or reselling one is a customs and trademark matter, not a gray-area hobby.
What the 33704 Number Tells You
Cartier stamps reference numbers on Ballon Bleu cases to identify a combination of size, metal, and dial. The replica market borrows those numbers and reuses them, which is why two listings for a 33704 can arrive as different diameters with different dials. Treat the number as a starting point rather than a guarantee. Before comparing anything, confirm the case diameter the listing is selling, whether the metal is solid steel or plated, and whether the dial carries a flinqué guilloché finish or a flat printed copy. Those three details move the look of the watch more than anything else.
replica ballon bleu 33704 original
Replica 33704 vs the Genuine 33mm Ballon Bleu
The genuine watch sets the benchmark, and the gap shows up in the cabochon, the dial texture, and the finishing between the lugs.
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Genuine 33mm
- Pros: sapphire cabochon with real depth; guilloché cut into the dial instead of stamped; service and parts from Cartier; legal to own, wear, and resell; holds value.
- Cons: costs many times what a copy does; boutique wait times; insurance and servicing costs.
Replica 33704
- Pros: a small fraction of the genuine price; close silhouette at arm's length; low stakes if it is scratched or lost.
- Cons: cabochon is glass or synthetic spinel and looks flat under light; shallow dial texture; plated metal can wear through; no official service; near-zero resale; illegal to import or sell in the US and much of the EU.
Use case: the genuine belongs on a wrist that will keep it for a decade. A copy only suits someone who accepts that it is disposable and that owning one carries legal exposure.
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33704 (33mm) vs Larger Replica Ballon Bleu Cases
Buyers who find 33mm too small often shop the 36mm and 42mm copies of the same model. Size changes the character more than any other spec.
33mm
- Pros: closest to the classic dress-watch proportion; tucks under a cuff; reads as elegant rather than loud.
- Cons: small on wrists above about 7 inches; less legible at a glance.
36mm and 42mm
- Pros: better legibility; more presence on a larger wrist; easier to read the Roman numerals and blued hands.
- Cons: the 42mm case starts to look inflated and loses the balloon curve; larger sizes draw more attention, which matters if the watch is a copy.
Use case: pick 33mm for a formal, under-the-radar look and 36mm if you want the same design with more wrist coverage. Avoid 42mm unless your wrist genuinely needs it.
Replica 33704 vs a Replica Rolex Datejust 36
Because many buyers arrive from the Rolex side of the market, the Datejust 36 is the natural cross-shop.
Ballon Bleu 33704
- Pros: distinctive design that does not read as a Rolex clone; rounded case and cabochon crown are harder to fake well, so a good copy stands out; works with leather or steel.
- Cons: dressier, so it fits fewer outfits; fewer aftermarket bracelet options; the crown guard is where cheap copies fail first.
Datejust 36 replica
- Pros: versatile with both casual and formal wear; fluted bezel and Jubilee bracelet hide small finishing flaws; widely recognised design.
- Cons: so widely copied that flaws are common knowledge; date window and cyclops magnification are frequent weak points; worn by more people, so it attracts more scrutiny.
Use case: choose the Ballon Bleu if you want a shape nobody mistakes for a Rolex. Choose the Datejust if you need one watch for every occasion.
Criteria That Separate a Careful Build From a Cheap One
Cabochon and crown guard
The cabochon should sit in a polished crown inside a curved guard, with no gap where the guard meets the case. A cloudy or oversized stone is the fastest tell.
Dial
Guilloché should catch light in concentric waves. Printed Roman numerals look flat and the inner track can sit off-centre.
Case and bracelet
Check lug finishing, the polish line along the case flank, and how the bracelet or strap meets the lugs. Plated edges flake at these stress points.
Movement
Most copies run a Chinese automatic or a clone of a Swiss calibre. Ask what beats per hour it runs at and whether winding feels gritty, since that is what you will live with daily.
Legal and Practical Reality
Counterfeit watches are seized and destroyed at import in the United States, and selling them exposes the seller to civil and criminal liability. Watches sit among the most counterfeited product categories in global trade. Beyond the law, there is no service path, no parts supply, and no resale market for a copy. If a listing promises a genuine watch at a copy price, it is neither.
Recommendation by Use Case
- Want the design and nothing else: the 33mm 33704 copy is the closest match, with the caveats above.
- Need wrist presence: a 36mm copy keeps the proportions better than 42mm.
- One watch for work and weekends: the Datejust 36 copy is more versatile, but also more scrutinised.
- Want something you can service, insure, and pass on: the genuine 33mm is the only option on this list.