British luxury interior designer and perfumer, Clive Christian has earned a reputation for creating some of the finest and most beautifully crafted perfumes in the world. Most famous of all, perhaps, is the scent of No.1 Perfume that became renowned as The most Expensive Perfume in the World. He calls it “the perfume of my heart”. To celebrate the recent opening of the Salon de Parfum boutique at Harrods, Clive has created a limited edition of his No 1 perfume, available exclusively at Harrods. This one-of-a-kind work of art comes with the extra price tag of …($228,580/£143,000)!
He calls it the No.1 Passant Guardant: Clive took the house’s signature crystal bottle and draped it in fine, handcrafted, 24 carat gold lattice-work. The upper part of the heraldic crest is from his own coat of arms, awarded by Queen Elizabeth 11′s Royal College of Arms in 1999 when he took custodianship of the Crown Perfumery. Embedded in the lattice-work are more than 2000 individually set flawless white diamonds. Set in the eyes of the lion standing ‘passant guardant’ over the Crown are two yellow diamonds, whilst a rare pink diamond marks out the lion’s tongue. Eye-watering stuff. The piece is a sensually opulent homage to the fragrance within- 30ml of No.1 The World’s Most Expensive Perfume.
‘No.1 Passant Guardant’, packaged in a handmade crystal bottle that boasts 24 carat gold lattice work and decked out in diamonds.
Unlike most perfumes, which today are created to a marketing director’s brief, this one was designed to be simply the best. No thought was to be given to cost or to rarity. What was wanted was a great complex perfume that was as fine, as beautiful, and as gorgeous as perfume could be. The consequence of such a brief was that, No.1 boasts only the rarest, finest, most luxurious and precious oils and ingredients from around the globe. Part of the Original Collection, at the heart of both the men’s and women’s perfumes lies the rare Florentine Orris and Ylang-ylang, while at the base of each are Cedar Wood, Sandalwood and the finest Tahitian Vanilla, as well as Tonka Beans, which add a lovely creamy note to both perfumes.
Clive Christian No.1 for Women
No.1 for Women is a floral Oriental. Serene and sophisticated with fruity top notes of Pineapple, Plum, Mirabelle, White Peach, Bergamot and Lemon; the sweetness is cut with spicier notes of Cardamom and Pimento oil. Slowly, the scent unfolds, weaving a slow enchantment as it reveals notes of Jasmine, Carnation and Orchid, with a centre of Rose; the bloom that is associated with Aphrodite’s gardens of love and beauty. At the base, as we have seen, are the exotic Tahitian Vanilla and the woody notes of Cedar and Sandalwood, as well as Musk Amber and the creamy Tonka Bean. It’s a rich and complex perfume- subtle yet sophisticated.
Clive Christian No.1 for Men
No.1 for Men is woody Oriental; understated yet distinctive. At the top lie notes of Bergamot, Lime, Sicilian Mandarin and Pink Grapefruit, which are spiced up with the tang of Cardamom and Nutmeg, Pimento oil, Thyme and Artemisia oil. At the heart, joining the Orris and Ylang-ylang, we find Rose, Jasmine and Lily of the Valley, while Heliotrope adds a rare and distinctive note. Sitting proudly at the base is a rare 50-year-old Indian Sandalwood, which traditionally was used to draw soul mates together, as well as a powdery Musk and Vetiver. The perfect combination for an accomplished and confident modern man.
The 50ml spray comes in a stunning gold bottle, reviving the original glass bottles from the perfumery archives, completed with a signature Clive Christian stopper shaped like a crown. However, for the pure perfume aficionado, Clive also designed a hand-polished finest Baccarat crystal bottle and stopper, completed with an 18-carat gold collar and adorned with a single five carat, white brilliant cut diamond, as a symbol of the rarity of the ingredients within. The extravagant bottle is presented in a silk-lined lacquer box. Fitting containers for the World’s Most Expensive Perfume indeed!
Yakymour 