Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.
Like Baiser Volé, Cartier’s newest launch II L’Heure Convoitée (The Coveted Hour) is a lipstick floral. While Baiser Volé adds a red stain to lily, the powdery sweetness of lipstick embellishes the carnation in this launch. Like the other fragrances in Les Heures de Parfum collection (L’Heure Promise, L’Heure Brilliante, L’Heure Folle, L’Heure Diaphane, L’Heure Mystérieuse, La Treiziéme Heure, L’Heure Defendue and L’Heure Fougueuse,) L’Heure Convoitée was created by Cartier in-house perfumer Mathilde Laurent. It is a plush floral composition for those who like the retro style and warm, cashmere wrap perfumes.
The first chord in L’Heure Convoitée is that of iris, which blends the sweetness of violet petals with earthy, green notes. The spicy clove warms up the cool iris, while rose and jasmine add a subtle sweetness. Although floral elements are an important part of L’Heure Convoitée, suggesting a silky freshness of petals, the fragrance has a rich woody core. As the cool camphorous note of the carnation accord dissipates, the sandalwood and vanilla become richer and warmer, creating an interesting dissonance.
The composition is very much in the style of other Les Heures de Parfum fragrances—linear, polished, with a strong nod to classical perfumery. If, like me, you were left cold by the collection overall, I do not see L’Heure Convoitée changing your opinion. I like its powdery spicy floral idea, but the character and the drydown remind me of Estée Lauder Beautiful, minus the dramatic effect. Lauder may not have Cartier’s cachet and its gorgeous packaging, but if I were forced to pick between the two, I would not hesitate to select Beautiful. On the other hand, I can see that L’Heure Convoitée might find plenty of fans among niche lovers who yearn for a touch of vintage glamor. Rather than being just a feminine fragrance, L’Heure Convoitée might work better as a sexy masculine fragrance, given its combination of cool iris and warm woods, with a spicy fillip of carnation.
Cartier L’Heure Convoitée II Eau de Parfum, like other fragrance from Les Heures de Parfum collection, is available at Cartier boutiques and Saks Fifth Avenue in the US. $255 for 75 ml.
Sample: my own acquisition
Reviews of the entire Les Heures de Parfum collection: I L’Heure Promise :: II L’Heure Convoitée :: IV L’Heure Fougueuse :: VI L’Heure Brilliante :: VII L’Heure Deféndue :: VIII L’Heure Diaphane :: X L’Heure Folle :: XXII L’Heure Mystérieuse :: XXIII La Treiziéme Heure
10 Comments
Suzanna: Les Heures have been removed from my Orlando Saks, but remain in Tampa. I always have fun sniffing around them, mildly liking one or two but never in the mood to spring that much cash free from my wallet for a mild like. Still, I adored the idea of this line, if not the price nor the actual execution. I suppose that at this price per ml, I wanted Les Heures to tick, loudly. Equating price to promise is probably wrong; there are a couple here I would happily wear.
I like that this latest release has a vintage glamour. I never smell anyone wearing classical-type compositions any longer (and I except Lauder, because these are not light deployed but are blown onto the wearer, at least here in the South, in torrent of aggressive spraying as if one were applying pesticide to a lawn). December 9, 2011 at 9:46am
[email protected]: I look forward to sniffing this when the opportunity arises but I’m not going out of my way to track it down. I like Promise, Brilliante, Mysterieuse and Treixieme but would only plunk down the cash for Fougueuse which I love. In fact I am saving up for it. December 9, 2011 at 11:59am
Victoria: "in torrent of aggressive spraying as if one were applying pesticide to a lawn"
That made me laugh out loud! I got sprayed that way in Paris a few times. In NYC the latest trend in applying perfume by the SAs is to hold your wrist a few inches away from the bottle and to spritz gingerly. I usually have to ask for the second spray.
Yes, overall, my impression is similar–for the price, Les Heures fragrances are just not impressive enough. December 9, 2011 at 10:33am
Victoria: That's the only one I truly love. The only perfume in the collection that's original. December 9, 2011 at 12:08pm
minette: the collection left you cold? i’m sorta surprised. i think it’s one of the best out there, from a quality standpoint, and think laurent did a fabulous job with these. i have and love two of them – I l’heure promise, and XII l’heure mysterieuse. would be pleased to own them all, but my wallet would not be! i think it’s the musk she uses in these that has me totally hooked – i go around all day getting whiffs of these and thinking, wow, that smells good! so they make me feel good. and i do get compliments on them (mostly on XIII), so that’s a bonus. they also smell amazing on fabric. hope they don’t yank these from my local saks! December 12, 2011 at 2:40pm
minette: i meant XII – i really like fougeuse, but it’s XII that i have and love to wear. December 12, 2011 at 2:41pm
Victoria: With some exceptions, I just do not find them that original or memorable for their price. Maybe, I am focusing on the dollar amount too much, but I cannot help it. For $255 per 75 ml, I just want something more interesting. On the other hand, L’Heure Fougueuse delivers all and more for me. December 12, 2011 at 3:22pm
Victoria: L’Heure Mystérieuse is a lovely incense. I have a decant of it, which suffices for now. December 12, 2011 at 3:23pm
minette: agree that the price point is high – and maybe i should have set my standards higher, at least on the basis of originality, but i went for really pretty and smells great in this case! and actually, i don’t have anything in my crazy-large collection that smells like these, so i guess they are original enough for me! ha. December 12, 2011 at 10:29pm
Victoria: Enjoy them! It is special enough to discover something that moves us. All else is irrelevant. 🙂 December 13, 2011 at 1:27pm