Charles of the Ritz

Such a maternal and innocent creation. My mom wore this from the 80s to the mid-2010s. It was one of her signature scents. On her it was a truly remarkable, shimmering powder (with just enough sweetness to keep it approachable and comforting). To this day it has a deeply calming effect whenever I smell it. It doesn't smell nearly as good on me as it does on her. People were always asking what she wore. Constantly. Whenever we went somewhere they would ask what it was and where they could find it, asking again and again where they could secure a bottle as it got to the point where it was only available at specialty perfumeries and department stores. It has a honey-like aspect, though honey is not in the notes. So if you strongly dislike honey or similar balsamic notes, steer clear. It somehow doesn't smell dated, but the few bottles I have come across vary widely in how they have aged. Some turn to bug spray and burnt plastic. Others are perfectly untouched. It always had a yellow hue, so don't let that deter you. Just be aware that it can be very hit and miss securing a vintage bottle. Especially since they are currently auctioning for over $200. If you have one, hang on to it :) Sillage is enormous and fills a room with a single spray (definitely use a light touch with this one). It also lasts forever on clothing, especially synthetics. It didn't last all day on my skin, but on others you will get 8-12 hours easily, if not more.

Charles of the Ritz EDT (1977). My burgundy metal tube of Charles of the Ritz emits a baroque floral done in the 70s fashion. A bouquet of lavish orange blossom, lilac, heliotrope, and carnation dispersing from a sparkling cloud of aldehydes, it recalls echoes of Le Dix and L'Heure Bleue. This is juxtaposed with a verdant accord and underpinned by a honeyed, musky amber. Two words that come to mind: "aqueous" and "shimmering." This is not to be confused with Charles of the Ritz Original, which was released a few years later and is a different composition. Charles of the Ritz RITZ Parfum (1972). This is one knockout of a chypre, bursting with punchy green galbanum and peachy aldehydes, Soon thereafter, a bracing hyacinth, white flowers such as jasmine, and a woody geranium dominate the heart. There is then this fantastic phase that becomes increasingly cedar-y and mossy, with a vetiver moving forward further into the dry down. The advertising for RITZ asserted that it's a "long-blooming perfume" and they were not wrong. RITZ would tickle the fancy of those who love Givenchy III, Calandre, or Aliage.

I have the vintage bottle of Charles of the Ritz. I have never previously used or smelled this fragrance and when I wore it for the first time, I was completely stymied! I thought, how on earth am I going to describe this in a review? It is a complicated medley of all the pyramid notes! On me, I found it a bit overwhelming to have all those notes hit me at the very same time, but that's how it struck me. I didn't notice distinguishable top, middle, or dry down phases. On me the beautiful medley was quite linear. Over time, and it does have a moderate longevity, it just got more faint. The sillage is also moderate. it is going to take me several more associations with this fragrance before I can decide if I love it. right now it is a definite like!

My mother used to wear this, years before I was born until after I got into about jr. high, and it had been discontinued. I still remember the scent in my mind and how wonderful it was. She always had the purplish/maroon metal canister with the refillable glass bottles. I remember how elegant I thought she was wearing this. She has found other great signature fragrances, but this will be the one I'll always identify as "hers!" Great memories, had to review this one from a loving son's point of view...err, smell, as it were.

Charles of the Ritz was given to me as a Christmas gift in 1984, and I fell completely in love with it! I would get so inspired when wearing it; it was like I was on a natural high..lol. I wish we could get it back somehow, but I do have a little hope to offer. A friend of mine who was a Charles of the Ritz lover suggested to me a Mary Kay fragrance called CityScape for women. I am in love with it and it's all I wear now! If you loved Charles of the Ritz ~ this is close to it!

My mother wore this when I was a child and I have very positive memories of it. As I remember it, the most prominent notes were aldehydes, ylang ylang, rose, benzoin, carnation and vetiver. This is what got me interested in perfumes. Sadly I haven't smelled it in years and its been discontinued. I'm tracking down another bottle on the internet and will post a real review once I smell it again.

This is a really beautiful perfume, and a bit hard to classify. It's almost like a mixture of floral/gourmand/while floral/oriental - it has elements of all these, and yet still maintains a chypre-like sharpness to it. I have a vintage bottle and it really blows away so many other florals from the '70's - it smells like a true classic. Gorgeous, voluminous perfume. Keep that bottle!

This perfume is so sentimental to me. I could almost tear up writing this review. This was my grandmother's signature scent. I kept a bottle of hers after she died. Anytime I ever get it out and smell it, I feel like she is right there. This was the ONLY scent she ever wore in my lifetime. She has been gone for 23 years. I love this timeless classic scent.

I have fond memories of this perfume! My aunt introduced me to this perfume when I was a teenager by giving me sample vials of it. The one I purchased came in a maroon and silver canister. I received a lot of compliments when I wore this. I would love to have it again!

Ok, something is driving me crazy about this one. When I was a preteen in the late 70's, my neighbor had this fabulous perfume on one day. She told me it was called "Ritz" by Charles of the Ritz. It was in a burgundy canister and it smelled similar to the original Oscar de la Renta. This was a completely different perfume than the one listed here called Charles of the Ritz. In fact, when I was in my 20's, I owned the one pictured here, in the square bottle with the green box. I remember JC Penney carrying this one. It definitely had aldehydes and a lot of sparkle. In fact, it even reminded me of ginger ale, because it seemed fizzy to me. It was really different than anything I've ever smelled. I also loved the one in the burgundy canister called "Ritz." They were most definitely two different fragrances. Now that I think about it, the one in the burgundy canister reminded me a lot of Espirit d'Oscar. I think I need to make a request for "Ritz" in the canister, to be added to the database. I looked on ebay, and the canisters are pretty expensive. They are both fabulous scents!!

Based on the notes, I believe this to be a reformulation and renaming of the original Ritz by Charles of the Ritz, in the deep red cylindrical canister (not the silver-and-deep-red canister which was called Charles of the Ritz in the 1970s, which I also have). I have the original Ritz, and it's a beautiful floral blend with good sillage. Most prominent notes for me are the orange blossom, ylang-ylang, tuberose, jasmine, lilac, musk, carnation. A cross between bug spray and masterpiece. Perfect for a spring or summer day. Reminds me a lot of original Oscar by Oscar de la Renta that was very popular in the late 1970s.

First found Charles of the Ritz in a decorative compact of an aunts. I loved it so much she gave it to me. Really hate the original no longer , but hopefully it will be able to be reinvented

I always remember this smelling like ginger ale when I used to wear it. Very spicy...it was great!!

Sadly, the fragrance featured here (as a number of people have commented) is nothing like its older sibling "RITZ", by Charles of the Ritz. "RITZ" was introduced c. 1972 Let's get down to the real business here, namely the unforgettable fragrance that was "RITZ". It was a very cold Christmas Eve in England in 1976 and I had bought my Mother the Charles of the Ritz "RITZ" light perfume spray, which came in a burgundy and silver chequered aluminium bottle. It came sumptuously wrapped in a burgundy foil box along with silver tinsel and a real metal silver bell on top. That evening we had friends visit - one of whom was a pianist - and my Mother, Father, Sister and friends sat around the Christmas tree singing Christmas carols. That magical evening - it really was magical, and there aren't many in life like that - concluded with us all singing "Jingle Bells", which my sister accompanied with the bell on the burgundy RITZ box. (Luckily, I had my tape recorder running throughout and still listen to it whenever I can summon the fortitude since mother passed). Come Christmas morning, Mum opened her present of RITZ and, with a wry smile, gave me - then a teenage boy - a playful little spray of it. I thought it utterly gorgeous - instantly memorable. It will ever be in my memory. Damned if I can find it at anything below £100 - or even if I did, it may have spoiled over such a long time. My search continues however, for I miss Mum so... . I just want to smell it on the teddy she gave me when I was 5 years old and cry - but in a good way. Such is the power of perfume! At any rate, and given the scant and contradictory accounts of the RITZ fragrance pyramid, after many days of research I came upon the "Cleopatra's Boudoir" website - an absolute treasure-trove of information regarding the history of perfumes, both past and present. I highly recommend it. This is what the site states: "RITZ - Fragrance Composition: So what does it smell like? It is classified as an intense floral chypre fragrance for women with woodsy overtones. It starts off with a green aldehydic top, followed by a sweet floral heart, layered over a warm, powdery base. Woodsy floral. Top notes: aldehydes, galbanum, peach, hyacinth Middle notes: jasmine, lily of the valley, carnation, orris, geranium, ylang ylang Base notes: sandalwood, amber, oakmoss, musk, Virginia cedar, incense Fate of the Fragrance: Discontinued, date unknown." Hope this helps those who, like me, treasure RITZ perfume, along with the memories. Anthony

It is Christmas Eve and my mother wore this to church this morning. Dressed in black with her platinum silver hair, she was adorned in silver and gold with a gigantic clear crystal jewel around her neck. This is exactly how I imagine Charles of The Ritz should be worn. I am thankful for the memory of this, as she is quite a senior citizen now who looked absolutely beautiful. CoTR is a lovely fragrance but I came on here looking for the note I suspected was bothering me. Just as I thought--tuberose. With ylang ylang. I cannot suffer tuberose on myself or a mix of it with ylang on others, but it was perfectly fitting on my mother this morning. I will remember and cherish this day... and my mother wearing this famous gem on such a chilly, southern Christmas Eve. CoTR will be dear to me now and always for that reason. Merry Christmas! :)

For those of you in the UK (and abroad because they do post internationally) who miss the Charles of the Ritz original perfume, Perfume Parlour do perfumes inspired by scents and they have one called Glamoratic which is inspired by CoR. I have had lots of their other perfumes so far and they are all fantastic, and I mean you can't tell the difference from the originals. Unfortunately, Glamoratic is currently out of stock. For those of you that want it, please go onto their site and register and add yourself to the waiting list for this perfume. Apparently, they will get it back into stock if there is enough demand. I have a small decant of the original perfume and just love it but would do anything to have a good supply. An added bonus is the Perfume Parlour perfumes start at £3!!

Since realizing that Charles of the Ritz, Classic, has been discontinued, I, too, have been looking for the fragrance. Thanks to these posts, particularly the one that gave info about the Martecci website, I will be donating my used bottle of C/R Classic perfume so that Martecci can finish the remake of this one-of-a-kind fragrance. I stopped using my perfume when I read that it was discontinued. This is how I still have some remaining. I've used this perfume in high school during 1975-1976. I have scoured the internet for info as to the reissue of this perfume. So, I hope my contribution will lead to success in remaking this essence. Cheers!

To all you ladies looking for this gorgeous iconic perfume I have been in touch with The Perfume Parlour Leicester. They used to make a dupe called Glamoratic. If you set up an account you can add it to your wait list. I've been told if they get more than 60 in the wait list they look to bring the fragrance back. Come on sign up, create an account and get it added to the wait list...strength in numbers and costs nothing to add it to the wait list. They are very reasonably priced and have excellent reviews. You've nothing to lose and it's possibly the nearest we will get to having our perfume back!

Love this perfume. I last got a bottle from J C Penny whilst on Holiday in Florida back in 1998!!!!Hadn't wore it since the 70's, its brought back so much nostalgia.. Sadly used up all the perfume and have tried to source other outlets but no luck. The perfume in the 70's was packaged in a silver and maroon canister but the one I purchased in Florida was in the same bottle as the top of the page.

I remember reading once that back in the 80's Cher stated to the press this was the only fragrance she wore story is that she tried to model her signature fragrance Uninhibited after it? I can't recall what Uninhibited smelled like to way back in the 80's and I never smelled Charles of the Ritz.

For historical knowledge to archive: This was Cher's signature fragrance in the 1980's. This was an affordable fragrance, but she layered it with an expensive vanilla. Apparently she tried to model her own fragrance release 'Uninhibited' after it.

I have a bottle of the splash for women that I got from my grandmother after she passed away. It's such an amazing, long lasting fragrance! I love how warm and well-rounded it is. There is no problem with longevity for this fragrance!

I have a bottle of CHARLES of the Ritz DIRECTOIRE Floral which I bought some time ago from a trusted fume head. I think it predates CoTR. If anyone has any information about it can you PM me and let me know more.... Thanks

This is a very unique perfume, it could almost cross over to be a man's cologne in my opinion. This is almost masculine in scent. Sweeter than Cabochard but just as manly in my opinion.

Charles of the Ritz also had a Rose perfume which was very delicate and light in a satin polished metal canister. Released perhaps a year or two before this one.

Been looking for ritz by Charles of the ritz in a silver spray bottle with ritz written on the little canister,can anyone help ?

when I noticed the fragrance, the note was very much same as Charlie, The Bottle is stored by my father for to show to me.

I wore this in the 70s. Silver and maroon canister. I can 'almost' smell it. Sure would be nice if it were brought back.

When I use GUERLAIN L'Heure Bleue, people ask me if I am wearing CHARLES OF THE RITZ

John Galliano for Women comes pretty close.