Have you ever wondered which are the most expensive perfumes in the world? Believe it or not, there are actually perfumes that cost more than $10,000 an ounce! Created by the most famous perfumers in the world or by the most luxurious brand name companies, you can actually use a fragrance that costs as much as a whole trip to London for four people…That’s a lot of money, isn’t it?
There are several things that make a perfume expensive. First of all, the rare ingredients: some flowers or roots are either hard to find or hard to process, and those synthetic ingredients might be hard to create. Not to mention, the whole process of making a perfume is not easy, and that costs money.
The second thing we have to consider is the packaging: the bottle itself is more expensive that you may think (especially if it’s covered in diamonds like some of them are). The shape, the color, the material… everything has to be original, and that’s one of the things that makes the product cost more than it usually would in a regular container (like drugstore or generic perfumes).
Finally (and most importantly) is marketing: companies have to insert their product in the market, and aside from commercials, posters and so on, what’s better than a celebrity advertising the fragrance? And paying someone like Taylor Swift to be the face of your perfume is going to… you guessed it, cost a LOT of money!
Of course, perfumes are far from the only luxurious, celebrity-endorsed products on the market that cost a very pretty penny indeed. Clothes are one of the most expensive things to purchase, and perhaps the most important in how we present ourselves to the world. You can find out more about top-notch clothing brands in our feature on Top 7 Most Expensive Clothing Brands.
Back to perfume: choosing a fragrance is something very personal, and not everybody can choose a perfume as a gift. And let’s be honest, would you pick a $10,000 present for your mom’s birthday? If you do, if you’re one of those “big brand” followers that can’t live without a designer bag, pair of jeans or piece of jewelry, then this article is for you.
We give you the five most expensive perfumes in the world, chosen carefully and with the price sorted by ounce, so you can judge if they’re really worth it.
Let the most sweet-smelling countdown begin!
5. Chanel “Grand Extrait” – $4,200 per ounce
Chanel says No. 5 is still made with care and precision, and rose and jasmine go into the fragrance from its very own fields in France. The classic Chanel N°5 is now in a new, special edition called “Grand Extrait”. With a very limited quantity available, the grand bottle is a treasure for the fragrance collector. You can definitely not get this one at your local store…
One expensive perfume down, four to go on our countdown of the most expensive perfumes in the world. Check them out on the next pages and have your credit card ready (the platinum one; you’ll need it).
4. Baccarat Las Larmes “Sacrees de Thebes” – $6,800 per ounce
Les Lames and Baccarat worked together on this perfume (the first one on the fragrance, the second one on the bottle) and in 1998 they released it. Inspired by Egypt and the wares of King Tut’s tomb, it contains Jasmine, Sandalwood, Musk, Ylang Ylang and Myrrh.
3. Clive Christian “Imperial Majesty” – $12,721.89 per ounce
This brand was named “the world’s most expensive perfume” in 2003, and in 2010 they brought us this new fragrance. The bottle is decorated on the top with a 5-carat brilliant cut diamond. Fancy, right?
2. Clive Christian No.1 Passant Guardant – $228,299 per ounce
They did it again! Now, in 2014, honoring the opening of his new store, Clive Christian released the newest fragrance… for nearly $250,000 an ounce! The bottle has been hand made of fine 24-carat gold, with over 2000 white diamonds embellishing the neck of the bottle and the crystal cap.
1. DKNY “Golden Delicious Million Dollar Fragrance” – $1,000,000
It has to be number one! This one costs exactly one million dollars. The bottle is decorated with 2909 precious stones, which have been placed to mimic the New York City skyline. The fragrance is a combination of Orange Flower Water, Mirabelle and signature Golden Delicious Apple, with a bucket of White Rose, Casablanca Lily, Vanilla Orchid and Muget, and the finish spices up the freshness with Musk, Sandalwood and Teakwood.
