The New Cartier Ballon Bleu And Ballon Blanc Watches Have Arrived!

The much-appreciated Cartier collection — the Ballon Bleu family — welcomes three new models. This line, introduced in 2007, brings Cartier’s calling cards to the party. Refined craftsmanship and a nod to the brand’s fine jewelry legacy make the Ballon Bleu the kind of crossover piece that keeps on giving. While the diameters of men’s watches trend downward, the availability of larger ladies’ watches continues with this release, with the Ballon Bleu now available in 40mm.

At 40mm wide and 12.45mm thick, this watch could easily be worn by men or women. There are a ton of options, ranging from the distinctly feminine, to the undeniably neutral. The steel version with the leather strap, boasting a dial replete with bold numerals, is a surprisingly suitable dress watch for men.

If you like your watches to be a little flashier, Cartier’s got you covered. In addition to pink gold cases, some of which adorned with diamonds, there are more extravagant dial options too. Sun-ray dials with applied numerals really change the whole mien of the watch and give the design a more mature feel overall.

At its heart, the new Ballon Bleu carries irreplaceable in-house automatic movement, the 1847 MC. The 1847 MC has a 40-hour power reserve and operates at 28,800vph. Among all the new models, the steel Ballon Bleu with the interchangeable black leather strap attracts my attention the most. But which is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below.

Cartier Ballon Bleu: new dials 

As for the dials new dials I was talking about, they come in 33mm cases. The shimmering sun-brushed dials are available in pink-gold-tone, silver-tone, grey, and navy blue. The subtle difference in typeface weight and the fact these applied Roman Numerals have outlines (thus reducing their visual impact and increasing their refinement in one fell swoop) give these displays a much more vintage vibe. There aren’t too many brands that could pull off two such different dial designs in the same case/family, but Cartier’s broad appeal to young fashionistas and older fans of classicism makes both versions of the Ballon Bleu visage seem oddly at home.

The Ballon Blanc 

Known for its thoughtful approach to jewelry pieces, Cartier has gone ultra-feminine with two new Ballon Blanc models. Despite the quartz movement, these two beauties are my favorite. When it comes to Haute Joaillerie, there are few names more powerful than the house of Cartier. The new Ballon Blanc is available in two different case diameters — either 30mm or 26mm. 

This unusual lugless case is adorned with its signature off-center crown cover. Stealing the show from the 36 brilliant-cut diamonds around the bezel is the diamond-set crown cover at 4 o’clock. But beyond that obvious slice of luxury, it is actually the icy cool monochromatic dial/case paired with the navy blue satin-brushed leather strap that takes this watch design to the next level for me. It is, as a result, my favorite of the bunch. Find out more about the entire collection on the Cartier website.