15+ Most Expensive Perfume in the World (Updated)

Table of Contents Hide

Most Expensive Perfume Options in the World
What Accounts for the High Price of Perfume?
How-to Shop for an Expensive Fragrance
Related Articles
Most Expensive Perfume: References

The cost of a fragrance generally corresponds to the rarity or excellence of the botanical constituents contained within, the embellishments adorning the container, and/or the skill of the expert perfumer responsible for formulating the aroma. Certainly, premium perfumes need not be exorbitantly priced. However, it is possible. Here are a few instances of some of the most expensive perfume options.

In 2006, the Guinness Book of World Records recognized Clive Christian's No. 1 Imperial Majesty as the most expensive perfume globally, costing $2,355 per ounce. The purchase of this luxurious item also included the added benefit of delivery via a Bentley.
In 2011, a charity auction witnessed the sale of a bottle of DKNY's Golden Delicious. The bottle was designed by jeweler Martin Katz and was adorned with approximately 3,000 precious stones, out of which 2,700 were diamonds. The final bid for this extravagant item was $1 million.
Custom fragrances, on the other hand, can cost upwards of $10,000. For instance, if one desires to commission a signature scent from a perfumer of Thierry Wasser's expertise at Guerlain, the cost may exceed $55,000.

But these are just the tip of the iceberg. In this article are 12 of the most expensive perfume picks available for purchase worldwide.

Most Expensive Perfume Options in the World

Perfume can be more than just an aromatic accessory when chosen carefully. Scents are one of our most potent senses; a carefully picked perfume can leave a lasting impression.

So, in that spirit, we present the world’s most expensive perfume options, each crafted to leave an indelible impression.

#1. CREED Les Royales Exclusives Jardin dAmalfi Fragrance

$871 AT NORDSTROM

Creed, the British perfumery responsible for fragrances beloved by Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly, released this Royal Exclusive scent in 2011 to commemorate the house’s 250th anniversary. The scents are an olfactory evocation of an Italian garden—effervescent, sunlit citrus, soft rose, apple, woody cedar, vetiver, and cinnamon—and the hand-blown Pochet bottle has an open-neck pour for lavish slathering.

#2. Roja Parfums Roja Haute Luxe

$2,975 AT SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

Roja Dove is an opulent, flamboyant perfumer who isn’t afraid of a decadent overdose of exquisite ingredients. Haute Luxe is an oriental chypre that practically drips money.

Every year, a new batch of Haute Luxe is whipped up, limited to 500 bottles, and stuffed to the brim with rose, jasmine, and ylang ylang, and grounded with earthy, spicy, ever-evolving base notes of ginger, cinnamon, clove, patchouli, woods, resins, and ambergris.

#3. Krigler Eleganter Schwan 06 – Limited Edition Perfume

$1,015 AT KRIGLER.COM

When creating this warm, romantic rose-and-sandalwood eau, Albert Krigler was inspired by Bavaria’s Neuschwanstein Castle (the model for Disneyland’s iconic Sleeping Beauty Castle). He named it after the historic site’s famous swans. It was a popular scent in the early twentieth century and was recently reintroduced as a limited edition by the storied fragrance house.

#4. Shalini Parfum Amorem Rose Parfum Presented in a Lalique Crystal Flacon

$3,000 AT BERGDORF GOODMAN

Amorem Rose is an opulent, smoky rose created by master perfumer Maurice Roucel with notes of Bulgarian Rose, Saffron flowers, Baltic Amber, and Mahogany wood. It is housed in a Lalique crystal flacon, “Les Hirondelles,” representing the flight of love. Is there a more fitting vessel for this spectacularly over-the-top tribute to the Queen of Flowers?

#5. Clive Christian Chasing the Dragon Hypnotic

$825 AT CLIVECHRISTIAN.COM

The Guinness Book of World Records named Clive Christian’s No. 1 Imperial Majesty was created in 2006 and released in a limited-edition run (as in, ten bottles) of diamond-studded Baccarat crystal flacons, the World’s Most Expensive Perfume. That elite juice is no longer available, but you can get Chasing the Dragon Hypnotic for $825, which is a steal in comparison. Be prepared to be blown away by a complex blend of smoky incense, pink pepper, fir balsam, and sensual amber.

#6. Viktor&Rolf Flowerbomb Haute Couture

$2,700 AT VIKTOR-ROLF.COM

In honor of Flowerbomb’s 15th anniversary, Viktor & Rolf released this limited edition with a 3-D printed rose gold bottle of the house’s iconic scent. It may be expensive, but it will likely provide explosive joy.

#7. Louis Vuitton Symphony

$249 AT LOUIS VUITTON

What could be more divine than a scent created by master perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrud and infused with ginger, grapefruit, and bergamot? A Louis Vuitton perfume bottle designed by Frank Gehry that is heirloom-worthy. All five perfumes in the Louis Vuitton Les Extraits Collection are also available in a unique signature monogram Flaconnier carrying case—truly the ultimate luxury for a fragrance lover.

#8. Tom Ford Rose Prick Eau de Parfum Decanter

$799 AT NORDSTROM

This is the phrase to use when you promise someone a rose garden. This 8.5oz decanter of Tom Ford’s wild bouquet of roses (inspired by the designer’s collection of botanical beauties) is completely out of this world.

#9. Guerlain Spiritueuse Double Vanille – Eau de Parfum

€550 AT GUERLAIN

Guerlain’s new L’Art & La Matiere collection offers a tantalizingly premium scent journey, with the option to customize the bottle and add personalized engraving. Spiritueuse Double Vanille is vanilla at its finest.

#10. Cultus Artem Tuberosa Eau de Parfum

$580 AT NEIMAN MARCUS

Tuberosa from luxurious artisanal perfume house Cultus Artem is a bloom of white flowers with swaths of sophisticated sandalwood and spice for those who appreciate genuinely sublime tuberose and the beauty of exquisite natural ingredients.

#11. JAR BOLT OF LIGHTNING

USD 765 PER OUNCE

JAR is the creation of Joseph Arthur Rosenthal, a Paris-based American jeweler whose work has been compared to Faberge’s. The brand is also known for its distinctive fragrances, the most well-known (and expensive) of which is Bolt of Lightning. Oriental flowers and tuberose are among the ingredients in the perfume, which has solid floral overtones. Keeping with the brand’s history, its most distinguishing feature is a beautiful hand-cut bottle.

#12. Joy by Jean Patou

USD 850 per ounce

Patou, founded by famous French fashion designer and perfumer Jean Patou, is now owned by Procter and Gamble but is still known for producing high-quality scents. Joy, from 1929, is one of Patou’s earlier works, with a list of ingredients that includes different varieties of roses and 10,000 jasmine flowers. Even after many decades, it is still regarded as one of the best in the world.

#13. Caron Poivre

$1,000 per ounce.

Parfums Caron is one of the oldest perfume houses in France. It was founded in 1904, and fifty years later, it would produce Caron Poivre, which has become its signature fragrance. While Caron’s bottles were typically designed by founder Ernest Daltroff’s business partner, Baccarat, Poivre features a stunning bottle crafted by Baccarat. It has a distinct scent with dominant spicy notes and is only available in a few select stores worldwide.

#14. Hermes 24 Faubourg

USD 1,500 per ounce

Hermes conjures images of stylish leather bags, high-end watches, and jewelry, but it also has a number of well-known fragrances to its name. Scents like Hermes 24 Faubourg, which is named after the address of the brand’s flagship store in Paris. This ultra-rare perfume was limited to 1,000 bottles, each made of beautiful St. Louis crystal containing scent notes such as orange blossom and vanilla.

#15. Chanel Grand Extrait

USD 4,200 per ounce

Chanel Grand Extrait, launched in 1921 as a collaboration between Coco Chanel and perfumer Ernest Beaux, has a long history in high-end fragrances. The bottle itself is a design masterpiece, with a look that appears simple at first glance but conceals several layers of artistic complexity.

#16. BACCARAT LES LARMES SACREE DE THEBES

USD 6,800 PER OUNCE

Baccarat, a renowned crystal maker for nearly three centuries, entered the world of fragrance in the 1990s. As a result, only three bottles of one of the world’s most expensive perfumes were ever released. It should come as no surprise that the bottle is one of the fragrance’s main selling points: pyramid-shaped and made of handcrafted crystal with an amethyst cap.

#17. DKNY Golden Delicious

USD 1 million

This special edition of the Golden Delicious range is the only one of its kind ever produced. It was the most expensive perfume in the world until it was dethroned earlier this year. The perfume was created for a charitable cause, with all proceeds going to ‘Action Against Hunger.’

The bottle contains 2,909 precious stones, including 2,700 white diamonds, 183 yellow sapphires, a Cabochon sapphire from Sri Lanka, turquoise Paraiba tourmaline from Brazil, four rose-cut diamonds, and fifteen pink diamonds from Australia. It results from over 1,500 hours of painstaking work by expert jewelers.

#18. Shumukh

USD 1.29 million

Shumukh, unveiled in March at the Burj Khalifa’s Armani Ballroom, is a stunning combination of ingredients that includes Indian agarwood, sandalwood, musk, Turkish rose, and several others that have not been publicly disclosed. Asghar Adam Ali, a master perfumer in Dubai, created it. The packaging is a work of art, with a leather display case nearly 2 meters tall that opens to reveal a bottle adorned with symbols of the UAE’s heritage.

The base is embellished with three gold Arabian thoroughbreds and three silver clamshells, each containing a genuine pearl. There are three stunning roses in pink gold and diamond dust and a mini globe with gold continents. Three marble pillars rise from the ground to a golden dome atop which sits a diamond-studded gold falcon. Needless to say, there is currently only one bottle in existence, making it extremely rare and increasing in value over time.

What Accounts for the High Price of Perfume?

The design and raw materials used to create the scent distinguish a $20 perfume from a $200 perfume. A bottle flecked with gold or crystals and handcrafted by an artisan glassmaker will cost more than one that is far simpler. Many of the more expensive fragrances on this list use a lot of costly notes like rose, jasmine, and oud.

How-to Shop for an Expensive Fragrance

Examine the labels: While not all designer or fine fragrances are expensive, starting with a designer or heritage brand will almost always result in a higher price tag. Consider the notes or scent families that you enjoy the most.
Make it your own: By going custom, you can take your signature scent to a new level. Making a custom scent with a perfumer will not be cheap, but you will end up with a unique creation that you can cherish and wear for years to come.
Consider the retailer: If you’re in a high-end department store, you’re probably surrounded by more expensive fragrance options. Experts there can assist you in testing the waters to find the perfect luxury perfume for you.
Perfume researchers: Perfume creation is an art, a skill, and a science. Research some of the most sought-after perfumers and try out a few of their creations.

Most Expensive Perfume: References

Wikipedia