Must de Cartier Gold

Over thirty years after the very inception of Must de Cartier, the Maison’s In-House Perfumer Mathilde Laurent has worked with Givaudan, the fragrance company that created the original Must de Cartier in 1981, to concoct an Eau de Parfum. Must was composed.

Must was composed in 1981 by perfumer Jean-Jacques Diener as a green Oriental Eau de Toilette. An innovation in the early 80’s, Must was the first ever green oriental essence, while the jewel-like refillable bottle was also the first of its kind. In another first, Cartier debuted the concept of the perfume launch in a spectacular event featuring a disco dance show and fireworks, attended by an unprecedented gathering of the international jet set, all set against the backdrop of a giant perfume bottle – at Château de Versailles, no less.

Must de Cartier captured incomparable freshness in an oriental fragrance with the very green note of galbanum. Marked by a heavy presence of jasmine and vanilla underpinned with the galbanum, Must de Cartier was an olfactory shockwave that shook up the very boundaries of the fragrance world.

Must de Cartier Gold Eau de Parfum is a real beautiful variation on jasmine with the joyous intensity of osmanthus stirring up the legendary sensuality of the Must de Cartier fragrance. A sensuous oriental fragrance with a delicate sweet fruitiness, it is the dazzling reintrepretation of the original, legendary Must de Cartier perfume, that pulses with the decadence of sparkling floral notes of jasmine, blackcurrant bud and a colourful burst of osmanthus.

• Top notes: Galbanum and green leaves
• Middle notes: Jasmine and osmanthus
• Base note is vanilla

Tastefully updated by Cartier, the famous gadroons of the original bottle are now the dominant feature in the original oval bottle, which glows like never before.

 

Tom Ford Black Orchid, Ultimate Seduction

Tom Ford Black Orchid Parfum ‘Lalique’ Limited Edition (Click photo to enlarge).

There is always something, a moment in time, that sets us off on a different trajectory in life. That first kiss, first touch, first taste of the luxe… For me, the first whiff that set me on the path towards haute fragrances was Christian Dior Jules. Addicted to this scent, occasionally you come across something new. Up until then I had enjoyed a few good perfumes, but they were mostly ‘mass’ market labels,  Then I discovered Tom Ford Black Orchid. And as Tom Ford put it, it was decades of minimalism up until that point.

Tom Ford Black Orchid Parfum ‘Lalique’ Limited Edition (Click photo to enlarge).

For his very first debut fragrance release, Tom Ford envisioned a bold, sultry scent. It starts out with a big bang, seductive patchouli and earthy black truffle shot through with sparkling bergamot, mandarin and citrus. Once you clear your head of the citrus, a heady bouquet of plumy florals shine through. Ylang ylang, French jasmine, black gardenia and that rare “Tom Ford Black Orchid”. The latter was supposedly specially cultivated just for Mr Ford’s olfactory pleasures, although I think it is the idea of a rarefied black orchid rather than actual distillation of juice that has given birth to this outstanding fragrance.

The first few times I tried wearing Black Orchid I noticed it’s longevity of wear. You need to know how to use, and got the dosage right (just a single short spray, from a 30cm distance) so you can enjoy the fragrance. It’s vèry important otherwise you would think that it’s such a heavy fragrance and that you invariably end up with ‘a headache’. It’s made in the old tradition, so use it as in the old tradition!

This is not about an ordinary orchid, it’s about something a little more strange and rare. I wanted the blackest orchid, and those aren’t easy to find

Tom Ford

After the initial burst, Black Orchid settles down into a warmer, slightly less obnoxious scent with some creamy vanilla notes tampered by spicy sandalwood, incense and warm amber. There are some who prefer the initial heady sensation of the scent, but for me, I actually really enjoy the long drydown. It is much less acrid on the nose, yet stays very true to the character of Black Orchid.

Black Orchid is opulent, classically dark; its fragrance is in line with the best creations of the best perfume houses. Luxurious and sensual fragrance with rich dark trace of black orchid and spices, modern and timeless. It remains to be said that Black Orchid is long lasting and with wide spread aura. It is also one off the longest-lasting fragrance I have worn, remaining consistent and only fading gently as the day extends out into the night.

Tom Ford Black Orchid Parfum ‘Lalique’ Limited Edition (Click photo to enlarge).

What a deep scent this beauty is. Dark and mysterious. beautiful & sexy scent. I’m slightly embarrassed to say, but I love it! Embarressed because some of you would say it’s ‘a female’ fragrance, but I regard it as a unisex scent. Longevity and sillage are awesome. It is, it is by no means a new fragrance. Tom Ford Black Orchid has been in existence since 2006 and was created by perfume creators of fragrance company Givaudan. It is as impactful today as it was back then. And as it gets cooler and we head into the party season, I find myself reaching for Black Orchid more and often. For sure, I have no illusions of being able that it does the same thing to me as how Tom Ford wears his clothing, but regardless, Black Orchid has become the scent with which I hope to make an impression (lol). Just like how you all have the red lipstick or the little black dress that you turn to in times of need. Whether you end up falling in love or hating it, Tom Ford Black Orchid forces you to look up and take notice. And whether worn on male or female, it will eventually seduce you and lure you in….

• Topnote:    French jasmine, black truffle, ylang-ylang, black currant and effervescent citrus, bergamote, mandarine
• Heartnote:  Lotus, Black Orchid, Lotus, Gardenia
• Basenote:   Patchouli, sandelwood,dark chocolate, incense, amber, vetiver, vanilla and balsam

I Love Tom Ford. I love Lalique, I love Art Deco and I love black! Can you imagen how happy I am with this handmade limited edition Lalique black crystal bottle…. ?… No, I don’t open it. It’s to precious!

The perfume is luxurious and the product range includes Eau de Parfum in 50ml (at US$90) and 100ml (at US$135) bottles, and limited edition of 5.000, 15ml handmade Lalique bottles of Parfum at US$600. The distribution is vèry limited.

by Jean Amr

Bvlgari Le Gemme Parfum

It couldn’t lack: a brand that in recent years, has so concentrated on expanding its perfume collection, located in the highest segment of the luxury industry, and its 150 year anniversary celebrates … Bvlgari presents his niche line. Striking: Bvlgari is the first jeweler who remains close to its origin for inspiration – so logical actually.

Bvlgari, the six-piece collection of high-end Eau de Parfums that are called ‘Le Gemme’ or Italian for ‘the gems’.

Was La Collection Extraordinaire by Van Cleef & Arpels (anno 2007) inspired by chic-classical interpretations of beloved flowers, that of Cartier on the hours the day (Les Heures, anno 2010), the Italian jeweler with Greek roots choose favorite semi-precious stones: amethyst, turquoise, tourmaline, peridot, citrine and calaluna.

Each ‘stone color’ is a symbol of a certain kind of smell, but the most important thing: Ashlemah, Noorah Amerena, Lilaia, Maravilla, and Calaluna reflect the purity and transparency of the olfactory especially to perfume jewelry carved stones.

In 2014 Bvlgari launched Le Gemme, a new collection of luxury perfumes inspired by precious gems and their historical trade routes.

Since the Phoenicians began to sail the Mediterranean Sea, it forms a bridgehead between Europe, Africa and Asia that people and their culture connect, and bring together the wonders and essence of luxury.

And they traveled, in the footsteps of Alexander the Great, by caravan, and took precious woods, resins, herbs, plants and flowers of the high plains of Pakistan and Tibet through the Arabian deserts to the Mediterranean. From this fragrant distilled something be distilled from this fragrant load that (initially) gods were worshipped, (later) anointed Kings and (then) the it spoiled the elite: perfumes. Precious stones were also transported via these routes and with the same AWE welcomed. Along with perfumes they functioned as fantastic intermediaries whose existence was unknown until then.

And: ‘ it is this surfeit that Bvlgari inspired this haute parfumerie collection that a loving expression is for raw materials of excellent quality still rarely used. Hailed in delicate, opulent and luxurious bouquets they manifest themselves as a meeting between the freshness and sensuality of a Mediterranean garden and the warm, silky mists of the Orient ‘.

LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, under whose luxury label umbrella Bvlgari falls, roped in perfumer Daniela Andrier of Givaudan for the task of crafting the scents around gems. Master perfumer Daniela Andrier created each of these sensual scents with a beloved Bulgari gem in mind. Even the bottles look like Jewels!

Like a precious jewel: Bvlgari Le Gemme Lilaia

This month birthstone Peridot’s ‘Lilaia’ is fresh and woody, with touches of mastic, peppermint, orange and mate. Turquoise’s ‘Noorah’ is more exotic and features galbanum, cardamom, iris, benzoin resin, tobacco, oak, patchouli oil and vanilla. Tourmaline’s scent of ‘Amarena’ is floral and fruity with sensual tuberose and powdery rose notes. Amethyst’s juice is ‘Ashlemah’ and ‘includes notes of lavender, iris, violet and heliotrope. citrine’s ‘Maravilla’ is a chypre scent rich in citrus, as well as peach, jasmine, patchouli and acethyvenol. Lastly, Moonstone’s scent of ‘Calaluna’ contains sandalwood, cardamom, heliotrope, ambrette and a pear accent. Bvlgari crafts some of the most luxurious fragrances out there, and their collection just raises that bar even higher.

Bvlgari Le Gemme Lilaia

As Treasurer of this sextet chose Bvlgari the amphora: ‘with its archetypal form symbolizes the once long journey of the raw materials and lulls the roundness and by his graceful elegant neck lines the elixirs as a precious amulet, from top to bottom an ornament of transparency and light’. The cap is inspired by a cabochon-cut gemstone: a polished performance ‘put’ in a yellow gold ring of which ‘the tonality of each stone is intensified by the black of the amphora that the seamless border marks between perfume and jewellery ‘

Precious gift sets of Bvlgari Le Gemme in black wooden laquer boxes (Click photos to enlarge).

Bvlgari Le Gemmes, all six of them, can be purchased individually or as a set with bottle sizes ranging from 30 ml to 350 ml at Bvlgari Boutiques worldwide and at Bloomingdale’s.

Soon more on this beautiful scents.

by Jean Amr