Our take
What does Quartz smell like?
Quartz arrived at Molyneux in 1977, at the height of the floral chypre wave. The couture house founded by Edward Molyneux bet on a faceted bottle and a mineral name. The opening pairs round peach with green hyacinth and cassie. It's bright and a little fruity. The heart is generous. Powdery orris and peppery carnation share the space with jasmine and rose. Watery melon and honeysuckle keep it fresh. Then oakmoss takes over, and the scent turns properly chypre. Sandalwood and cedar join benzoin and amber for a warm, soapy base. The peach recalls Diorella, though Quartz is woodier. It shares Chanel Cristalle's crisp daytime feel, with less zest. The version sold today is reformulated and flatter. Anyone after the real Quartz will need to hunt down an older bottle.
When to wear it
A daytime chypre for the office, in spring or on a cool autumn day. One or two sprays, as it projects more than you'd expect.
It belongs to the Floral, Chypre family. Quartz is one of 1 creations by Molyneux in our encyclopedia.