From special edition releases of fan-favorite scents to unique new bottles adorned with precious gemstones, the fragrance industry has hit high notes in the luxury space.
Shoppers with a nose for opulence can expect to see a rise in perfume sales as the industry has been significantly affected by the shopping habits of post-pandemic consumers, WWD reported. After years of decline, consumers have returned to buying fragrances again, generating significant sales growth in the category.
Luxury retailers, auctioneers and collectors have taken full advantage of this trend. Below, see 12 of the world’s most expensive perfumes, custom bottles and singular scents that combine exclusivity with ingenuity.
Cry Baby Perfume Milk by Melanie Martinez, $275 (more than $2,000 from resellers)
Released in 2017, the fragrance is housed in a container made to resemble a milk bottle, a shape in line with musician Melanie Martinez’ child-like visual aesthetic. When in stock, the two-ounce bottle of perfume features notes of rich fruit, strawberry milk and lipstick. It originally retailed for $275, but it now fetches more than $2,000 from resellers.
Joy Parfum Baccarat Edition by Jean Patou, $1,800
The limited edition Joy perfume by Jean Patou was released in 1929 and was housed in a Baccarat crystal keepsake brand bottle. The intense floral scent was created using the essence of more than 10,600 jasmine flowers and more than 28 dozen roses per bottle. While the popular scent was a favorite among consumers of luxury fragrances, the perfume is no longer being produced and can only be purchased through online resellers.
Flowerbomb Haute Couture by Viktor & Rolf, $2,700
Created in 2020 to celebrate Viktor & Rolf’s bestselling scent’s 15th anniversary, the intricate Flowerbomb Haute Couture 3.4-ounce bottle was 3D-printed in gold in the likeness of a rose. Though only 15 bottles were produced, the classic scent from Viktor & Rolf can be purchased for under $100 in its original bottle.
Roja Haute Luxe by Roja Parfums, $3,500
Only 500 limited-edition 10-milliliter bottles of Roja Haute Luxe perfume are released every year. The scent has notes of rose, ylang-ylang, jasmine, and earthy contents of ginger, clove, cinnamon, ambergris and patchouli. The fragrance was restocked earlier this year, and it’s available for purchase from Roja Parfums and other online retailers.
Marilyn Monroe’s Chanel No.5 by Chanel, $10,000
Previously owned by Marilyn Monroe, the 6.8 ounce bottle of Chanel No.5 was sold in a 2017 auction from Julien’s Auction for $10,000. While the box has never been opened, the scent has been credited as one of Monroe’s most beloved fragrances. New bottles of Chanel No.5 typically retail for $250.
Les Larmes Sacrées de Thebes by Baccarat, $16,800
As one of the leading producers of luxury crystal, Baccarat has a history of artisan bottle creations. In 1998, the company launched three of its own signature scents. One of them, Les Larmes Sacrées, was produced in a limited quantity, resulting in the perfume having the highest value of all three. The quarter-ounce perfume is housed in a pyramid-shaped bottle made from Baccarat’s signature crystal and is scented with notes of amber, jasmine, rose, Egyptian cassie, myrrh and frankincense.
Pleine Lune sur le Nil by Parfums De Burmann, $30,000
Pleine Lune sur le Nil was quickly discontinued after its launch in 1934 after the manufacturing costs proved to be too expensive by the Burmann perfume company. The perfume is housed in a black glass bottle that features enameled hieroglyphics and a gold-painted metal pyramid cover.
1 Million Luxe Edition by Paco Rabanne, $57,000
Credited as being one of the most expensive perfumes for men, the 3.4-ounce fragrance highlights notes of blood orange, grapefruit, cinnamon, mint, rose and leather. While a new bottle of the fragrance is no longer available to purchase, each limited-edition bottle can be refilled with the same musky scent.
J’adore L’or Prestige Edition by Dior, $75,000
Redesigned to include fresh notes, the limited-edition 3.4-ounce bottle of Dior’s bestselling scent was released in 2016 to celebrate the brand’s history of fashion and fragrance. With only a select number of bottles available worldwide, the fragrance is adorned with a large bow that features 30 round-cut diamonds and 10 pear-cut diamonds. Traditional bottles of J’Adore, housing the formula originally released in 1999, retail for $150.
No. 1 Majesté impériale by Clive Christian, $215,000
Crafted by British perfumer Roja Dove in 2006, only 10 bottles of the 16.9-ounce fragrance were produced. Mixed with notes of vanilla, musk, bergamot, Sicilian mandarin, ylang-ylang, and honeyed neroli, the perfume is housed in a hand-cut crystal bottle that uses 18-karat gold on the neck and is adorned with a five-carat white diamond.
Golden Delicious by DKNY, $1 million
The special edition 3.4 fluid-ounce bottle of DKNY’s bestselling perfume was designed in 2021 with 2,909 precious stones by celebrity jewelry designer Martin Katz for a good cause. The perfume’s signature gold orbe bottle was adorned with thousands of rare gems to raise money for the global humanitarian organization Action Against Hunger. Consumers can purchase an original edition of the brand’s signature scent for under $50.
Shumukh by Nabeel, $1.29 million
As one of the most expensive perfumes in the world, Shumukh by Nabeel has spared no expense. The product’s three-liter crystal bottle is adorned with pure silver, 18-karat gold and more than 3,571 precious stones. The scent, a mix of pure Indian agarwood, patchouli, incense, ylang-ylang, sandalwood, pure Turkish rose and amber notes, is claimed by the brand to have taken three years of research and roughly 500 tests to achieve the result.
