Perfume of the Day: Olivier Durbano - Rock Crystal
This is the second of seven (planned) fragrances by jeweler turned perfumer Olivier Durbano that I’ve sampled. Olivier Durbano is described as
An architect by training and a jewelry designer by profession, Olivier Durbano found himself drawn even deeper into the mysterious world of gemstone jewelry, fascinated by their stories and sharing an obsession that has entranced mankind from the dawn of time. The gems, stones and crystals that adorn these pieces and their long histories of whispered charms and omens had a personal meaning to Durbano, one that he connected with fragrance as both lay on the skin and create a mood to both the wearer and the admirer. He decided to explore this “poetic dimension,” taking his time to infuse perfumes with the feel of mystery, beauty and intrigue of gems and making each scent a perfume poem, a magical olfactory ode to the gem or crystal which is represents. Seven fragrances are planned for his unique Bijoux de Pierres Poèmes (Perfumes of Stones Poems), each one unearthing fragments of buried memories and emotions, the scents themselves linking to precious or primitive stones — contemporary talismans to offer to a world in search of pureness, harmony and serenity.
In other words, he and I have very little in common - I’m not a jewelry fiend, and I don’t put a lot of stock in charms and omens, but I’m happy to see what his vision of Jewel-Perfume poems really is.
At first, I thought all this fragrance would ever amount to was pepper. Slowly, the dusty woods came forward, then hints of the spices and oakmoss. I never did discover the benzoin, orange, flower, or musk aspects. It’s an interesting fragrance, and I learned quite a bit about “rock crystal” from the descriptions. It’s quite lean and masculine. Find it at Luckyscent.
notes: orange, pepper, coriander, cardamom, cumin, olibanum, benzoin, myrrh, cistus, sandalwood, cedar, vetiver, everlasting flower, oakmoss, musk
Cristal de Roche (Rock Crystal) is the first of Durbano’s “perfume poems, ” an enigmatic scent inspired by the myth surrounding rock crystal and the magical, mystical aura of frankincense. Centuries ago, rock crystal was thought to be ice that could not be melted; this mineral represents the link between man and nature, the notion of man’s place within the universe and the union of man with a higher force. Frankincense, a resinous substance venerated for centuries in places of worship, is thought to carry prayers uttered by mortals towards the heavens. Durbano brings this to the forefront of Cristal de Roche, as incense and resins of frankincense, olibanum, benzoin and myrrh rise like columns of deeply fragrant smoke to symbolise the joining of heaven and earth. A rich, deep scent, Cristal is not for the faint of heart; it’s a marriage of moody woods, deep incenses and dried spices, a perfume for lovers of deep and “churchy” fragrances – for those who love deep gold brocades and dark red satins versus crisp white linens and freshly starched cottons…for those who love the scented rituals of mankind in search of the divine.
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