The World's Most Expensive Perfume

Clive Christian No.1—the Priciest Off-the-shelf Scent in the World

Oct 29, 2008

According to the Guiness Book of Records, English perfumier's Clive Christian No. 1 is currently the most expensive fragrance in the world.

Ask any woman to name the most expensive perfume in the world, and the chances are that she’ll come up with such well-known scents as Jean Patou’s Joy or the iconic Chanel No 5.

However, on December 8 2007, at Saks New York, the Guinness Book of World Records named Clive Christian’s No. 1 Pure Perfume as the most costly off-the-shelf fragrance in the world. A mere $2,350 at Saks Fifth Avenue buys you a 30ml handmade lead-crystal bottle of No. 1 Pure Perfume, complete with a single natural white brilliant cut diamond in its gold collar.

Clive Christian’s No.1 also comes in a cheaper perfume spray at $865. Embossed on its crystal bottle are the words "No. 1 – The World's Most Expensive Perfume."

What Makes Clive Christian No. 1 So Special?

The lavish scent is so exclusive that its smell changes every year. This is due to the inclusion of only the rarest (and finest) ingredients, and consequently their inaccessibility over time. According to Fashion Wire Daily’s (FWD) December 10, 2007 article “Guinness Awards Record for Most Expensive Perfume,” the principle is to ignore all costs and buy whatever is considered to produce the best results, even though some ingredients may not be sustainable.”

Imperial Majesty Limited Edition

The single most expensive bottle of Clive Christian No.1 is labeled “Imperial Majesty,” a limited edition. Imperial Majesty is available in a heavy Baccarat crystal bottle with a 5-carat solitaire diamond set in its collar and has a value of around $200,000 per ounce. Only 10 have ever been made – 5 of which have been put in Clive Christian’s personal collection.

Celebrities Who Love the Clive Christian Fragrance

Clive’s daughter, Victoria Christian, in an interview with Canada’s National Post (August 15,2008), entitled “Clive Christian Smells Expensive,” reveals that actress Katie Holmes wore No. 1 to her wedding to Tom Cruise. Celebrities who have commissioned a bottle of this exclusive scent include Victoria Beckham (for her husband, David) and Elton John, who according to Victoria, asked for “anything but a piano.” Even England’s Queen Elizabeth II had a special bottle in the shape of a crown commissioned for her birthday.

Clive Christian – the Man

Interestingly, David Christian, the man behind the scent, is an English millionaire and interior designer who has 15 kitchen design showrooms worldwide. According to FWD, his company acquired the Crown Perfumery in 1999. The perfumery was originally established in 1872, with one of their most famous customers of the time being Britain’s Queen Victoria. Consequently, stoppers on the No. 1 perfume bottles are in the shape of Queen Victoria’s crown.

In the 1990s Christian came across a run-down Crown Perfumery shop in a London arcade, which struck a cord. According to the National Post, Christian wanted to preserve the company’s heritage and what perfumery represented. On taking over the Crown Perfumery, he set out to revive its history of exclusive, exquisite perfumes, to be presented in beautiful and elegant bottles and cases. Crown Perfumery's pledge is to “produce the best possible perfume known to mankind.”

The Perfect Perfume Gift

With the holiday season just around the corner, a bottle of Clive Christian No. 1 may just be the perfect gift for the woman who has everything! The same fragrance is also available for men.

The copyright of the article The World's Most Expensive Perfume in Perfume is owned by Gill Hart. Permission to republish The World's Most Expensive Perfume in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.