Diamonds and Sapphires

Escape by Calvin Klein, but ten times better. High quality time capsule. The ‘90s untouched. Aquatic fresh goodness. Calone (the molecule) in one of its best presentations. Lily of the valley made wearable. Fresh, well-rounded aquatic melony floral fougère. Fragrances made in the US are not necessarily subject to the strict IFRA regulations that restricted perfume ingredients in 2005 and destroyed countless classics that were made in France or other European countries and intended for distribution in Europe. New categories emerged and new lines were drawn after 2005. The “screechy” phenomenon took over and deflated many classics that relied on certain natural ingredients such as oakmoss. Ironically, oakmoss isn’t listed for Diamonds and Sapphires (as it is for Escape). Fruitchoulis, candy florals, and woodsy ambers that smell cheap and “cheap” continued the takeover that began with Angel, and they were able to adjust to the forced change in ingredients. Pretty soon perfume was everything that Elizabeth Taylor fragrances aren’t: the olfactory illusion of sugar. There also used to exist a phenomenon of spraying a fragrance on and waiting about 20 minutes before deciding if it works on you, and Elizabeth Taylor fragrances are no exception. Nearly all fragrances required this initial dry down period. Today, newer fragrances are designed to sell on the immediate first impression, regardless of what the fragrance is doing three hours later. Diamonds and Sapphires is no exception to the fact that Elizabeth Taylor fragrances did not devolve with the trends that followed their releases. Diamonds and Sapphires, which is made in the US, seems to have missed the regulatory downgrade to screechy class. It doesn’t smell cheap either. It smells like a reflection of the year it was released. Regarding the affordability of this line, these fragrances are made in the US, therefore no import cost is associated with their sale in the US. They have also reached product maturity (the product has long since made back all the money it cost to bring it to market). There is still high demand for White Diamonds, so my guess is that WD’s wider distribution and higher price point reflects its enduring wide appeal. The majority of the fragrances in this line were relatively expensive department store fragrances when they were introduced. Fortunately, the quality of these fragrances has not suffered over time. The comparisons to Escape could not be more fitting, except this is better than Escape was. Practically everyone wanted a bottle of Escape at some point during the decade of the ‘90s, including many people who pronounced it “Ekscape.” In the ‘90s, Escape smelled fresh and beautiful, but if someone wore too much of it, the oakmoss and coriander would make you want to escape the room. There’s no oakmoss or coriander listed for Diamonds and Sapphires. Diamonds and Sapphires is just doing its breezy and fresh floral-musk-calone-fougère thing without a headache factor. The melon that people are smelling is calone, which is a molecule that was invented and emerged in perfumery in the ‘80s. It smells melony and aquatic. (Escape relied on the melony side of calone. Cool Water relied on the watery side of calone.) A lot of the nice aquatics joined the screechy club after 2005. The Issey Miyake references are very accurate, but Diamonds and Sapphires has none of the screechy or piddly notes. How nice! The ‘90s were a time when everyone wanted to smell fresh and not “like perfume.” There was a whole movement away from flowers and spices and into citrus fruits and the melony, aquatic calone. Flowers needed to become citrusy. Musk needed to be fresh. Calone was the Iso-E Super of its time. The niche movement had not yet taken everyone by the nose or gotten so many people accustomed to paying through the nose. Diamonds and Sapphires stays true to its original aesthetic and performs smoothly. There is no screechiness to be found. It’s a floral aquatic woodsy fougère that just smells marvelous and lives out its ‘90s goodness in a classy manner without overwhelming anyone. Thanks to its relative complexity, it’s well-rounded. There’s a squeaky clean musk and some ylang-ylang apparent from heart to extended dry down, but they’re layered in with the other heart and base notes in a very balanced way. The overall composition does have a blue vibe to it. As with Diamonds and Rubies, one or two sprays will get the job done. And by the way, with the exception of the rush of gorgeous, sheer white florals when first sprayed, this is unisex by today’s standards.

I saw this on the shelf on my way out the door this morning, and, on a whim, realized I had not tried it in years. I gave a quick blast, and ran out the door...I few moments later, I was floored. The quality of the perfume far exceeded what I had remembered. The Galbanum, in the top of all places, tames the aldehydes and gives the Melon something to grab onto. To be sure I wasn't crazy, I went back to retest. What I discovered is that the first 2 minutes can be almost unbearable- a weird synthetic Lily strapped onto Aldehydes at 200mph...but hold on, this transitions out very quickly. By minute 3 you are on a velvet blanket of Galbanum and juicy fruits. This phase is absolutely beautiful, and with none of the "rotten fruit" notes that can occur when using Melon in a heavy composition. The Galbanum is top notch quality, at least in my vintage bottle of edt. (My guess is they switched to something cheaper after the launch, but that's another day!) At minute 5, in come tangy spices, and finally we sense the spectre of original White Diamonds. At 10, this perfume is the perfect melange of spices, fruits, and resin. The florals play second fiddle, but the Rose and the Ylang are tenacuious enough to peek through. There is also a waft of Night Blooming Lily, but the deep indolic kind, not the cited LOV note. This phase lasts for quite a long time, nearly an hour, during which time I can't resist smelling my arm over & over! The drydown is indeed as stated- Sandal, Musk, and Vetiver. All in all, this is a perfume with a lot of presence. Even in the EDT it has excellent longevity and sillage. I tested on a perfect September day- warm, dry, and breezy. I can also see wearing this in the winter, but I fear that humidity might create a cloying effect, and therefore, I would use it with caution in the spring and summer.

A lovely floral-calone fougère! 🥰🍈🌹🌿 The Lily of the valley blends into the calone, which blends into the rhubarb, creating a sharp, bright, cooling afternoon scent. In about 40 minutes after drydown the calone calms down and the florals and vetiver joins the white musk and all spice. It is similar to Escape, but a bit less animalic, skipping the coriander and oakmoss and opting for a gentle sandalwood over the harder cedar. Diamonds and Sapphires is a surprisingly beachy scent for not (technically) having an aquatic note. A less floral L'eau D'issey, and less fruity Sunflowers. All four scents are great for nice warm days. I will caution anyone sensitive to calone (the melon scent) and/or Lily of the Valley though. They're pretty strong for the first hour or so. And like all White Diamond scents, don't initially over spray. Personally, I love it. It's a very green melon-y fragrance, more like a cucumber smell than a fruity, sugary candy melon you'll find in a lot of newer perfumes. My teenage children and their friends are completely enamored with these 80's and 90's scents right now. They're sick of scents that smell like candy. Guess what's going to smell like "old ladies" to them in the not so distant future? So, wear Diamonds and Sapphires in the morning, Sparkling White Diamonds in the afternoon, and White Diamonds in the evening, and White Diamonds Night if you're staying up late. Your bases are beautifully covered. 🥰

Oh! This is lovely! Something as desirable (to me!) as a fruity and sweet and green floral! I so often miss tartness in fragrances that are sweet and I want both. This has both. The tartness is rounded, though, and the green aspect of it is not sharp in the least. Soft lily of the valley (LOTV often gets screechy, but not here) that is mellowed to bright, but soft by the melon, peach and the yang-ylang. The melon is NOT the aquatic cucumber/calone style, but rather like a fragrant cantaloupe, the peach is not cloying (I often feel that peach gets a little "pond-watery") and both of these mixes beautifully with the tart rhubarb. This is definitely a great sweet-tart-green-fruity balance with the rose/jasmin/ylang combo constantly dancing in the background and it manages to be fresh, sensual and interesting at the same time. It ́s definitely easy to like without being trite. It gets ambery in a drier way after a while and softly woody. I could see myself wearing this quite often. Listen, don ́t think that this one is in any way out-dated- it could easily be a modern day Versace or or Gucci. Only thing is this one is more interesting than mentioned brands have been lately...

I have never had any interest in any of Elizabeth Taylor's perfumes, before now. When they were released, I was a teenager and thought they were probably to mature for me at the time. And even a couple of years ago when I started on this perfume collection/appreciation/obsession..they were not high on my "try" list. And at least in the instance of this gorgeous lady, I was so,so wrong. In an earlier post in the forums, someone called this one a floral aquatic and I was intrigued. I looked it up in the index and didn't see anything in the notes not to like and with the price I thought..."Why not??" Simply put, this bottle of golden elixir brings to mind a floral heaven! I am in absolute LOVE! I don't really get anything super aquatic, but it is sweet, fruity and smells of lovely white flowers. It smells simple and luxurious all at the same time. Is that even possible? How could I have been so dismissive and wrong? I have worn this for 5 days straight and that hasn't happened in years, I am a "change my scent when I change my undies" type girl and I have only been doing the latter all week, because I cannot get enough of this gorgeous gal. Now I must try them all!

This is simply a phenomenal dewy green, slightly tart, fruity floral that smells fresh and sophisticated. This is also the perfume that made me understand melon. It's not watermelon, but a lovely ripe and juicy canteloup that gives the perfume a moist and mouthwatering opening. There are notes that reminds me of wet, freshly cut grass in here, and delicate white flowers (lily and lily of the valley) that makes it smell both fresh and elegant in an almost melancholic way. When the melon steps back a surprisingly beautiful green, tart and juicy rhubarb note appears and keeps the scent interesting and slightly edible. This is spring in a bottle. Green and breezy with a somewhat cool and refreshing vibe. Gorgeous! Sillage starts off moderate on me, and dries down to soft. Longevity is very good for a fruity scent. On me it lasts 6-8 hours.

I adore this fragrance. More so then it's sister, White Diamonds. It's so close yet SO different. Melon, for sure, is the conquering note but the Sandalwood came through profoundly for me. Just like the original, you only need a spritz or two before it becomes very overwhelming. I made the mistake of inhaling at just the wrong time and getting a mouth full of chemicals that probably shouldn't be ingested. But it didn't turn me off! It's so fresh and can I even say it reminds me of the Ocean? It probably shouldn't with these ingredients but there is something (very small) that reminds me of Siren by Paris Hilton. Any of the Diamonds perfumes requires a specific taste in fragrances because obviously it can really attack the senses but it was another hit on Elizabeth Taylors brand!

Nyoka, that's hilarious! I don't feel that way about Diamonds and Sapphires but I do feel exactly the same about Diamonds and Emeralds. It either comes down to skin chemistry or perhaps an old bottle that went bad. Actually, Diamonds and Sapphires comes across as a light, green, jasmine/rose/freesia blend on my skin, with a touch of musk and vetiver in the drydown. It's very nice for summer, maybe for a summer evening. It doesn't seem to have the sillage of ET's other fragrances on my skin, however. But that's fine; I am collecting as many ET fragrances as I can and I can get many of them for very cheap at discount stores like T.J. Maxx or A.J. Wright's. I think most of her fragrances are either very distinctive, lush and sophisticated, or light, feminine and pretty.

Another nice soft classic and timeless scent. I would classified it as a clean daily perfume, a bit soapy at the beginning because of the sharp smell of melon. But when the melon settles down it evolves to a creamy-floral and peachy scent with a little powder over it. I couldn't say that this is one of my favorites, but yes, there are the days over the year, when I absolutelly love it, and this is mostly during the winter time. Anyhow it's very romantic and feminine scent. I think any perfume lover should have it, it's Elizabeth Taylors ... it's like a legend. And the same could be said for Diamonds and Emeralds and Diamonds and Rubies as well. They are really good price value and as I said- timeless, a must have for any serious perfume portfolio.

Its the floral ive always wanted! Aww elizabeth how did you know?! Reminds me a lot of joy by jean patou which ive been wanting but i probably wont need it with this. I was the most anxious to try this one because of the day and night reviews it gets, and i dont have one bad thing to say about it whatsoever. I got this today with diamonds and rubies but decided to try the rubies first. Out of curiousity i put like a 16th of a spray of this on my wrist. Just got the atomizer to spit a little bit and i can smell it over the rubies. I am impressed -furrows brow-. Very powerful so be mindful of it! P.S. I think i figured out why people dont like this. It has a mimic of red door somewhere in the middle/dry down. Not too many people are fans of that

Fresh sweet melons and peach enveloped in a cool, oceanic citrus. This opening reminds me of green tea by Elizabeth Arden. As the perfume unfolds rhubarb and a delicate jasmine come forward. In the dry down I still experience a fresh, ozonic quality but it deepens and is grounded by a slightly sweet but very gentle amber & musk. I really like this fragrance in summer when I want a fresh & fruity refresh. The green melon is the shining star. It’s well balanced, stylish and modern. It makes me dream of travelling to the Greek islands where the expansive blue sea crashes on the shores of a cliff below a sun drenched cafe. Like the other white diamond flankers, emeralds and rubies, sapphires did not disappoint- it’s really gorgeous!

A beautiful watery, green and slight bitter white floral. I find the lily of the valley and melon to be the dominant notes in this fragrance. I also get a green bitterness from the rhubarb and galbanum. I don't always enjoy fragrances with a green quality but really love this. It reminds me ever so slightly of Dior Diorissimo because of the prominent lily of the valley and Chanel Cristalle EDP old version but without the strong citrus. However this still very much feels like it's own thing. It feels simultaneously vintage and 90s at the same time. Really gorgeous fragrance and would be perfect for hot summer days. The Fragrant Jewels flankers line from Elizabeth Taylor are a very underrated gem.

While I love all of Elizabeth Taylor's Diamonds and series, Diamonds amd Sapphires moght be my favorite. It is early August, and the temperature here is well into the 100's, and this is gorgeous! A rich, lush white floral very alightly sweetened with melon amd rounded out by a delicate musk and ylang. D&S is not as sweet to my nose as Diamonds and Emeralds amd not as nearly as spicy as Diamonds amd Rubies. Someone below mentioned a 90s-shampoo vibe, and yes, I caan agree, but more perfume-y. The LOTV is not sharp in this.It is a very gentle perfume but it has great sillage and moderate longevity. Truly a beautiful scent!

Why do I always discover perfumes after they're discontinued? At least I could pick up a big bottle cheap! Thank you to my toddler, who spotted the sparkly bottle (which I love, reminds me of the American soaps my Nanna used to watch) and wanted me to try it. Just a lovely airy scent, sweetened with peach, dried a little with musk and sandalwood, with melon and lily of the valley floating above. Fresh without being sharp, floral without being overwhelming, fruity without being overly sweet. Ladylike, in effect. I feel like I've got a treasure I will happily wear over and over for pocket money.

Back in the day (early 2000’s), Sparkling White Diamonds was one of my most reached-for fragrances. Diamonds and Sapphires brings back memories of that, but with much stronger fruit notes. The peach & melon are very pleasant for a warm Summer day. As it dries down, it has that classic floral-amber DNA of Elizabeth Taylor fragrances. I’d categorize this as a casual, everyday fragrance. To me, it’s “younger” smelling than other choices in the White Diamonds family. As an EDT, it doesn’t last very long, but it can be found at most discount stores for super cheap.

I received this from my aunt some years ago and am down to the last few sprays of the 50ml bottle. I honestly really didn't appreciate it, so it just sat ignored until this morning when I grabbed the bottle and thought this will do. It's clean, fresh, spicy, floral and kinda wakes me up! It's synthetic but not offensive,but it definitely needs respraying or wearing under clothes to get that longevity. It's not totally me in all honesty as I'm more of an aquatic or oriental type but it doesn't break the bank and makes a nice uplifting change.

Update, had to mark it a "love"! -------------------------------- Blind buy - I have a number of other Liz fragrances I like - anyway, they're so affordable and where would you be able to test these anyway? And it's good news! I like it right away. Not overly sweet melon, thankfully. I don't care for cantaloupe and that was my concern, but this is a fresh melon, tempered by the other notes, rhubarb, spices, florals, etc. I especially appreciate the spice, personally. I predict this one will get good use this spring and summer!

I was pleasantly surprised when smelling this initially, it reminded me of a fresh fruit bowl with cantaloupe and honeydew. But now that I’ve worn it several times, I’ve picked up on a slight b.o. quality - now that I’ve noticed it, I can’t ignore it. Unfortunate, but at least it was cheap! Update - my review hasn’t changed but I’m back to liking it again. I work outside in the summer heat and getting in my vehicle afterwards cranking the AC and blasting myself with this is such a beloved ritual these days haha

This perfume is not really a fruity- floral, rather a green floral: grassy, spicy. Jasmine, ylang-ylang, galbanum and vetiver stand out from the rich symphony of different accords here creating such a warm, animalistic vibe -reminiscent of Serge Lutens' "A La Nuit"- just less jasminey, indeed. Down to earth Beauty, a little powdery, dry and bitter in the drydown. But what a splendour! Reflecting, wistful, all-encompassing Femininity. Hauntingly Yours or yours hauntingly, Elizabeth.

If you like a cucumber melon vibe and the current Bath and Bodyworks formulation isn’t hitting right, I find the body wash/lotion paired with a confident spray or two of this takes me there. It’s my first ET — I grew up on Sunflowers and RL Safari, anything Diamonds was way too “adult” — and it’s the perfect starter fragrance from the line for me. Looking forward to trying out more (maybe Sparkling next...) and always grateful for the helpful comments from everyone!