Here’s a fab piece from our regular contributor TriedTestedLoved about the brand SRI London, whose products are all centred around jewels.
We’ve discovered an exciting new niche brand based on a sparkling concept. SRI London have launched a collection of exclusive perfumes, each inspired by precious stones. Fine fragrance and high end jewellery are inextricably linked; brands like Dior, Chanel, Chaumet, Piaget, Cartier and Tiffany all have gorgeous scents as well as fabulous bling.
However in this case, it appears that each fragrance has been developed to transmit some of the beauty and colour a specific jewel, and perhaps some of the mystery.
Firstly, in my opinion, this is not a range for the faint hearted. The scents are big, opulent, intense and deep.
That being said the jewels in question are not for shrinking violets, so perhaps that makes sense.
It is hard to be objective and often, the name of a fragrance can influence my expectation of what it might smell like, but it was great to try these out and live with them for a while.
For example, sapphires are dramatic deep blue stones and I associate blue with watery and cool fragrances. The SRI London Sapphire scent is warm, woody, spicy and powdery, with lavender and cardamom being stand out notes, and a hint of leather. It dries down to a featherlight powdery veil, gentle and intense at the same time. Not my idea of a “blue” fragrance, however but that is clearly a totally personal interpretation!
Scarlet on the other hand is similar in its intensity, but very lively, almost vivacious. I detect floral notes of jasmine, violet and muguet, blended with a fruity almost plum like aspect and watery gourmand touches. Scarlet is one of those perfumes has light and shade, which means it constantly changes each time you inhale. This one smells far fresher and light on the skin, which is a surprise as it is quite heavy on the smelling strip. Another reason to always try on your skin, you never know.
Emerald is definitely for those who like a smoky, sophisticated sillage. This is a sparkling blend of oud, vanilla, amber and cedar wood, with some peppery accents, from the spice blend and a touch of leather. Very distinctive and one that needs time to get used to. Too heavy for my taste but great for making an entrance, or an exit….
Magenta is absolutely dominated by rose and spices, but not in an old fashioned way and is quite intoxicating. Cloves, honey, turkish delight and musk mix with citrus and woods to wrap you in a velvet cloak of petals. Very uplifting and might be marketed as “feminine” however that is probably out of date as these fragrances are all unisex and its really only a matter of personal preference these days.
These are super luxurious and would be a fabulous gift without doubt. The packaging and the presentation is glorious and dramatic as you’d expect.
There are other fragrances in this range, and all the key notes listed on the SRI London website. This was just a great chance to evaluate this range and describe these perfumes for you as best I could.
Would be interested to know if anyone else has tried these and what you thought?
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