Classic elements and rich, quality materials.

Written By: Jean Flint

The Cartier Ballon Blue W6920047 Medium Unisex Watch is classical and unique, gold and steel, straight-edged and curved, made for men and women alike. I’m a very visual person, so I was instantly drawn to this watch for those first three combinations and the intriguing splash of blue right in the middle of it all.

Look at this luxury watch. The silvered opaline round dial has a circle of Roman numeral hour markers, and an inner circle of tiny minute markers. The 3 hour mark and the nearby minute marks are pushed towards the center in a gentle bulge by another circle, this one orbiting protectively around a crown of 18k yellow gold with a blue synthetic cabochon gemstone. No sharp edges – unless you count the sword-shaped hour, minute, and second hands of blued steel.

As for the wristband, the first three inner links on either side of the watch face are also yellow gold. The rest is stainless steel with a hidden deployment clasp, making it simple to put on or take off. Between the band and the clasp, this watch is going to feel secure on your wrist.

Other features:

• Swiss mechanical movement with automatic winding Cartier caliber 076
• Battery life of 2 to 3 years
• Scratch-resistant sapphire crystal
• Fixed bezel
• Adjustable 8 inch wristband
• Water resistant to 30 meters (99 feet), meaning it isn’t meant for prolonged contact with water

The first few inner links closest to the watch face are yellow gold-plated; the rest are stainless steel.

I feel that this timepiece is suitable for anyone to wear. Compare it to the Ballon Bleu W69009Z3 and the Ballon Blue W69007Z3, the design save for the latter’s lack of a second hand. An internet search will quickly tell you that the Ballon Bleu W69009Z3 is a men’s watch, the Ballon Blue W6920047 is a unisex watch, and the Ballon Blue W69007Z3 is a women’s watch. They all have the same design; the Cartier website just lists them as large, medium, and small models. The prices vary with size, naturally, because the smaller watch the fewer materials used.

The starting price for this model is $8200, which is expensive. You can save a few thousand by opting for the Ballon Blue W69011Z4, a medium model watch that doesn’t have the flash of yellow gold on it, but if price is a big deterrent then this probably isn’t the collection to browse. Because the Ballon Bleu W69009Z3 doesn’t have date or chronograph features, you might want to think long and hard about whether this luxury watch has enough functional bang for your buck.

Overall, the Cartier Ballon Blue W6920047 Medium Unisex Watch is a visually appealing, rich, quality watch that will look fantastic on anyone’s wrist.