Cartier Ballon Bleu 36 · Reference WSBB0048
Cartier Ballon Bleu 36 WSBB0048
Known as Ballon Bleu de Cartier 36mm, steel on bracelet, silver guilloché dial
The WSBB0048 is the 36mm steel Ballon Bleu de Cartier on a matching steel bracelet, with a silvered guilloché dial and a small seconds sub-dial at 6 o'clock. It sits in the middle of the modern Ballon Bleu range: bigger and more of a two-watch, his-or-hers case than the 33mm and 28mm quartz pieces, smaller and dressier than the 40mm and 42mm men's automatics. The signature is the same one Cartier put on the collection when Carole Forestier-Kasapi's team launched Ballon Bleu in 2007: the round case with a sword of steel arcing over a fluted crown, and the crown itself capped with a blue synthetic spinel cabochon that gives the line its name. This reference runs an automatic movement, Cartier's caliber 076, so it is a mechanical watch, not one of the battery pieces, and it wears at 36mm with a 12.1mm thickness that keeps it under a cuff. Blued-steel sword hands, Roman numerals, a sapphire crystal shaped to the case, and a secret signature hidden in the numeral track round out a watch that reads unmistakably Cartier from across a room.
Produced: The Ballon Bleu de Cartier line launched in 2007. The WSBB0048 is a current-catalog 36mm steel automatic reference, listed and sold new by Cartier and its authorized dealers as of 2026.
Specifications
- Reference
- WSBB0048
- Collection
- Ballon Bleu de Cartier
- Case Diameter
- 36mm
- Case Thickness
- 12.1mm
- Case Material
- Stainless steel
- Bracelet Material
- Interchangeable steel bracelet
- Dial
- Silvered guilloché dial, Roman numerals, small seconds sub-dial at 6 o'clock
- Hands
- Blued-steel sword-shaped hands
- Crown
- Fluted crown set with a synthetic spinel cabochon (blue)
- Crystal
- Sapphire crystal
- Movement
- Mechanical with automatic winding, Cartier caliber 076
- Jewels
- 25 jewels
- Frequency
- 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz)
- Power Reserve
- Approximately 38 hours
- Functions
- Hours, minutes, small seconds
- Water Resistance
- 30 meters (3 bar / 100 feet)
- Retail Price
- $7,500 USD (Cartier list)
Market & Value
Cartier lists the WSBB0048 at $7,500. What you actually pay tells a different story. Authorized dealers routinely quote it in the $6,300 to $7,300 band brand new, and on the secondary market clean examples with box and papers trade closer to $4,600 to $7,200, with the typical Chrono24 asking price sitting around $6,100. That spread is normal for steel Cartier: the brand makes a lot of these, the collection is deep, and the 36mm size overlaps the men's and women's buyer, which keeps supply healthy and asking prices honest. For us on the buy side, that means the WSBB0048 is a liquid, easy-to-value reference. We know what a full set is worth this week and we know what a bare watch is worth without the box, and the gap between the two is real money, so completeness matters here. The silver guilloché dial is the volume configuration, which cuts both ways: easy to buy, easy to sell, but not a piece where a rare dial variant is going to surprise you on the upside. If you bought at full retail, understand the resale reality going in. If you are buying pre-owned, this is one of the safer Cartier references to shop on price because there is real comparable data behind every number.
What to Know Before You Buy
A few things a buyer should have straight on this reference. First, it is automatic. Caliber 076 is a self-winding mechanical movement running at 28,800 vph with roughly a 38-hour reserve, so it is not one of the quartz Ballon Bleus, and the small seconds sub-dial at 6 o'clock is the quickest way to confirm you are looking at the mechanical 36mm and not a different size or a battery piece. Second, water resistance is 30 meters. That is splash and hand-wash safe, not a swimming or shower watch, which is standard for a dress Cartier and not a knock against it. Third, the crown cabochon is a synthetic blue spinel, factory correct; do not expect a natural stone and do not pay a premium for one. Fourth, the bracelet is described by Cartier as interchangeable, so strap changes are part of the design rather than an aftermarket hack. On condition: check the polished case for over-buffing that softens the sword-crown line, confirm the sapphire crystal is the correct shaped glass and not a swapped flat replacement, and make sure the small seconds is actually ticking and keeping a smooth sweep. Box and papers move the number meaningfully on this reference, so bring everything you have.
Buying or selling a WSBB0048?
We buy and sell the Cartier Ballon Bleu WSBB0048 at Ultimate Watch, 19 West 47th Street. We write checks for steel Cartier every week, so we can value your 36mm on the spot: full set versus watch-only, condition on the case and crystal, and what the silver guilloché configuration is really trading for this week, not last year. If you are selling or trading, bring it to the counter or call us and we will make you a firm offer the same day. If you are buying, tell us what you want and we will source a clean example with the right paperwork. Bring it in, call, or request an offer online.