Paris jeweler Ann Gérard is introducing a new fragrance in her collection this spring.  Rose Cut was created by Bertrand Duchaufour, the same perfumer who worked on other fragrances in Gerard’s collection, Cuir de Nacre, Perle de Mousse, and Ciel d’Opale. The name derives from a diamond-cutting technique which gives stones a soft radiance.

“My inspiration for Rose Cut was a word: Allure. While beauty often fades over the years, allure lasts forever. Rose Cut celebrates women who fully embrace their personality and femininity. To reflect their many facets, I wanted an “oxymoron fragrance” that would combine opposites: femininity/strength, luminosity/depth.

In the composition, these opposites translate into luminous notes (pink pepper, aldehydes) associated with warm, balsamic, velvety notes (vanilla, peony, benzoin), and through the association of rose (wildly feminine) with patchouli (strength and character).”

Rose Cut includes notes of aldehydes, rum, pink pepper, roses, peony, patchouli, vanilla, oak wood absolute and benzoin absolute. 60 ml Eau de Parfum, $165. Via press release

Jacques Guerlain needs no introduction. Shalimar, L’Heure Bleue, Mitsouko–these words say it all. The fragrances created by Guerlain in the first decades of the 20th century continue influencing perfumers and fragrance lovers. The trends are still set by them, and most perfume collections have at least one Guerlain inspired creation. Born in 1874, he entered the family business run by his uncle Aimé Guerlain and before long, he established the house’s reputation for creativity and quality.

Much has been written about Jacques Guerlain’s creations, but the man himself remains in the shadows. He preferred working at the perfumer’s organ to speaking at public gatherings, and he left behind few articles and interviews. He let the perfume do the talking.

In partnership with the Osmothèque, I offer you an excerpt from The Perfumer’s Chronicle, a 1964 magazine article by Marcel Billot (a Houbigant perfumer of Chantilly fame). Billot was also the founding president of the French Society of Perfumers, and The Perfumer’s Chronicle was his regular beat. With the exception of L’Heure Bleue, all the Guerlain perfumes Billot mentions were recently reconstituted for the Osmothèque by the current Guerlain perfumer Thierry Wasser.

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Elisa discovers another underrated gem and white floral beauty in Carolina Herrera’s 1988 perfume. But don’t say that you haven’t been warned about its big sillage and quintessential 80s character.

My mother has never worn perfume, so as a young girl I had to look elsewhere for scented role models. One was my grandmother, who introduced me to the wonders of White Linen. Another was my best friend’s mother, a beautiful, petite brunette who always entered the room in a cloud of womanly sillage. Her weapons of choice – I remember seeing the bottles on her vanity – were the original Escada and Carolina Herrera.

They both seemed impossibly glamorous and “grown up” from that vantage point. But in my first year of full-on, post-rabbit-hole perfume mania, I remember realizing with a jolt that, as an adult woman myself now, I am free to drown myself in Carolina Herrera if I choose to. Not having smelled it in years if not decades, I picked up a small bottle of the EDP at a discount store (in the classic polka-dot box). I got it home, sprayed it on, and smiled in recognition: it hadn’t changed.

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Jo Malone’s image of casual elegance and minimalism have given the brand an edge over other perfume houses vying for over-the-top glamour and in your face luxury. The bottles are simple, the beige packaging has a retro charm, and the collection is presented in such a way as to remove the intimidation factor. You’re encouraged to layer, blend and mix to your heart’s content. The perfumes are usually based around single note ideas like rose, grapefruit, bluebell, or in combinations that are either trendy (oud) or reassuringly comforting (pear & freesia, tea & bergamot.) The only aspect of Jo Malone that’s not understated is the price.

Over the past few years, Jo Malone’s retail prices have been on the rise. It mirrors the general trend in the luxury market, but I was nevertheless taken aback when I returned to repurchase a bottle of Orange Blossom cologne. At $115 for a 100ml bottle, it’s no longer an affordable indulgence; this kind of expense needs to be planned in advance. If I wanted to treat myself to the latest launch, Tuberose Angelica, I’d have to spend even more for the same amount, $145.

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Creative director of Editions de Parfums, Frédéric Malle offers some tips for selecting the perfect spring scent in the recent leaflet sent out by the house.

• Fragrances are like clothes: some are warmer than others. It is uncomfortable to wear a heavy dose of warm oriental on a hot day, but a hint might work
• Consider changing your perfume every season if you are wearing a very fresh or heavy Chypre fragrance
• You should always try a new fragrance before purchasing. The top notes function for about 15 minutes, then leave way to the heart of the perfume, which is it’s real personality

Out of his collection, Malle recommends floral fragrances like Carnal Flower, En Passant and Lys Mediterranée to evoke the sunshine. For my perfect spring etude, I select L’Eau d’Hiver, which despite its wintery name, smells of early spring with its melted snow, violets peaking under the wet soil and sweetness of first buds. But if I want the Mediterranean sunshine, I will turn to Le Parfum de Thérèse, which smells of ripe Cavaillon melons and jasmine.

Painting: Spring in Italy, Isaac Levitan, 1890. Via wiki-paintings, some rights reserved.