Precious Oud

Now this is the creamy kind of tuberose. And a rather carnal one. It even develops to the sweeter side, but this is as far away from the well-known bubble gum impression as possible. Even though it's rather foody, it is most certainly not dessert like. It is closer to a main dish reference with its thick, sauce-like structure. I can see clearly how this is compared to TFBO: Precious Oud also has that truffle funk, that weird, semi-edible, unmistakable scent. Do not be alarmed, though: this is exquisitely well designed fragrance with incredible potency and infinite presence, indicating expensive taste. It is indeed impressive, but I could even call it opressive. I love it dearly, appreciate it immensely, but wear it seldomly. One should go very light on the sprayer, if they don't want to get themselves nauseated. Even with only two half-pressure sprays and one final walk-through, I was safely surrounded by it all evening long, residing in the open space. I strongly suggest you never use more than that, otherwise it could get toxic and completely out of control. I just adore the whole VC&A monothematic Extra collection! However, Precious Oud is very little about agarwood really. It is only a supportive player here, giving the whole composition the "nuit", exotic vibe. But it plays its role masterfully. To sum up for those who are curious about the popular (and accurate) comparison: if you love TF Black Orchid, you will certainly enjoy P. Oud. If you happen to dislike BO, you still have a chance to at least appreciate this execution of the idea.

"Precious Oud" by Van Cleef and Arpels / 08/07/2015 I belong to the type of people who fall in love hard and not often. This is a truly magnificent scent that I fell in love with. It is so well blended and balanced that it is impossible to distinguish the notes. Additionally, it is so unique (in a beautifully quirky way) that I cannot describe it accurately. It is not flowery; it is not powdery; it is not oriental; it is not soapy; it is not citrusy; it is not aquatic... What or earth is it? I have no idea! But, it is perfect!! This is the beauty of this scent. I cannot categorize it, I cannot de-code it, I cannot translate it. There is so much cerebral intelligence and harmonious quality in this blend. It is beautiful, unclassifiable and not at all predictable. Smelling it is an intense, long-lasting experience for those with an adult nose (so, to all those who like nicey-nicey sickly sweet gourmands, I suggest to stay away from this masterpiece.) Silage and longevity are massive; the scent dominates the room. I would not suggest for anyone interested to proceed in a blind buy. I also would not suggest to anyone to offer it as a gift. The reason is that this fragrance is so unique and peculiar that it becomes a very personal choice. I enjoy it very much. I do recommend it, I find it mind-blowing! Enjoy the perfume quest. Regards Josephine

Precious Oud is another high-quality Van Cleef & Arpels scent, but it doesn't feature any discernable oud. A creamy, sweet, woody floral, it is bold but not obtrusive. I get the resemblance to TF Black Orchid, but this is a more muted, refined, elegant version that doesn't feature the infamous truffle note. It has its own identity however, and is made with high-quality ingredients. PO opens with creamy white florals; sweet, clean and not too bold. There is a little pink pepper up top. The smoky incense follows, adding a nice counterpoint to the florals. It is slightly balsamic and sweet here. The woody-amber accord develops as PO progresses, with the incense note moving into a central role. The florals give an underlying sweet creaminess, but it is all about the woody notes and churchy incense here. A little patchouli adds some earthiness. It fades to a sweet, musky skin scent with balsamic incense remaining, becoming very dry as it fades. Sillage is moderate and longevity is long-lasting. It is made for cold weather. An elegant, unisex woody-amber scent punctuated with smooth florals, PO is another beautiful composition from an underrated perfume house. Excellent from top to bottom with some unexpected elements, I really loved this. Precious Incense. 4.5/5.

I used to own Black Orchid, and while I am a Tom Ford devotee, I had to get rid of it. I think it's practically a modern masterpiece, but something about it didn't jive quite right with me. The patch was too heavy. The tuber note made the scent interesting, but there was too much of it. THIS is Black Orchid redone in perfect balance, harmony, and perfection! Precious Oud is so classy that it makes Black Orchid seem trashy in comparison. I never thought that of Black Orchid as trashy until I smelled this, as there was nothing to compare. Although this smells classy, I can't get the image of a high class call girl out of my head, the kind of woman you would never know is really an escort because she makes five times the money you make. Black Orchid seems like a common prostitute now. There is something light and clean (and addictive) floating above all of the richer notes, and I can't figure out what it is. I also note abstract candied white florals and a smooth river of amber chocolateyness. I was looking to purchase Orchidee Vanille, and while that was really pretty, this is immediately full bottle worthy. It's stunning--and very, very sexy. I seriously think that any woman wearing this will instantly become more beautiful to those within range of her scent.

This is exactly what I hoped it would be. I found this perfume by looking for similar fragrances to Tom Ford’s Black Orchid. I really enjoyed aspects of Black Orchid, but found the composition as a whole to be too gaudy, brash, tacky and suffocating. I wanted a similar scent that was just more polished and sophisticated, and luckily this fragrance community is on the ball! Based on all the reviews, I ordered a sample from Luckyscent and am absolutely smitten! Precious Oud is all I loved about Black Orchid without what I hated, so it’s definitely not a copy, but a tropical floriental in the same family, just this girl went to college and knows how to use her inside voice. It’s refined decadence, if that makes sense. The quality of this fragrance is apparent too, there’s no throat scratching fumes in Precious Oud, it’s creamy smooth. I’ve just ordered a full bottle of this gorgeous little gem and will be enjoying it all summer (because another perk is that it’s light enough to wear year round)! Thanks for your great reviews! Edit: after a few full wears, I notice incense and a very clean oud. It’s there, but it’s a supporting voice in this composition. Very beautiful.