Short answer

33708 is not a Cartier reference number. Cartier's Ballon Bleu codes sit in the W690, WSBB and WGBB families, and that is the string a genuine caseback shows. When a listing says "fake Ballon Bleu 33708," the number is almost always a seller code: a factory batch, a listing ID, or an internal SKU. Two dealers can both quote 33708 and mean two different watches. Treat it as a label, not a spec sheet, and ask the seller to translate it into size, movement and factory before any money moves.

Why that number keeps showing up in searches

Replica listings lean on codes because codes are hard to compare. A code lets a seller swap batches without rewriting the page, and it stops buyers from running an apples-to-apples check across shops. I have seen the same string attached to a 33mm quartz watch on one site and a 36mm automatic on another. That is not proof of a scam on its own. It does mean the code carries no information you can use. The photos, the movement listing and the stated measurements are the parts that matter.

The parts that actually decide quality

Ignore the code and look at six things instead:

  • Movement. Quartz sits at the bottom. Above it you get clone ETA 2824-2 or Seagull ST2130 automatics, and Miyota 9015 in some builds. An automatic sweeps; quartz ticks once per second.
  • Case size. The Ballon Bleu line runs 33mm, 36mm, 40mm and 42mm, plus smaller ladies' sizes. If the listing never states a diameter, the code is covering for that.
  • Crown and cabochon. The blue cabochon is the signature detail. Cheap builds use plastic or flat glass that sits crooked and reads dull. Better ones use a domed synthetic spinel.
  • Dial texture. The flinqué center and the outer ring should catch light in concentric bands. Stamped copies look like a photograph glued to a plate.
  • Hands. Genuine hands are blued steel. Painted copies turn purple under warm indoor light.
  • Bracelet. Solid links, screw heads on the sides, tight end-link fit. Rattling folded links give a watch away from across a table.

How to read a listing that leans on a code

  1. Ask which factory built it. Sellers with a reputation name it. Vague sellers do not.
  2. Ask for the movement model, not the movement "family."
  3. Ask for case diameter and thickness in millimeters. A 33mm Ballon Bleu should sit just under 10mm thick.
  4. Ask for real photos of the caseback, the crown and the clasp screws. Stock renders tell you nothing.
  5. Ask what happens if the watch arrives and does not match the photos.

Where the cheap builds fail first

The failures cluster in the same three places every time: the cabochon, the date font and the clasp. A cabochon that looks cloudy or sits at an angle is the fastest tell, and you can spot it in a phone photo. Date wheels on low-tier builds use a fat, rounded font that does not match the printed numerals on the dial. Clasps arrive with sharp edges, loose hinges and a safety catch that needs two hands to open. None of these are hidden defects. They are just the first things a factory cuts when it drops a tier.

The legal side you should not skip

In the United States, importing or selling goods that carry a counterfeit trademark is trademark infringement, and customs officers can seize shipments, including single watches sent to an individual buyer. You also get no manufacturer service, no parts support and no resale value. I am not going to pretend this is risk-free, because it is not. If you want the design without the exposure, buy a hommage piece from a brand that does not copy the dial printing or the logo.

A short pre-purchase checklist

  • Size in millimeters, confirmed in writing.
  • Movement model, not a marketing word like "Swiss grade."
  • Photos of the actual watch, not renders.
  • Return window and who pays return shipping.
  • A price that matches the tier. A 42mm automatic with a domed cabochon and solid links costs more than a 33mm quartz, and a listing that ignores that gap is telling you something.

So when you search that number, read it as a starting point. The code is furniture. The movement, the diameter, the crown and the clasp are the watch.