Fragrance comparison

Arcanum vs Gold

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 14 Nov 2026 135 ratings analysed

5 wins

Arcanum

Incarna parfums

4.1763 votes

Rank #9,985 AmberWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

41%scent match

Some overlap

Gold

Saskia Diez

3.7572 votes

Rank #17,587 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Arcanum takes 5 of 7 categories.

Arcanum
Choose it for a amber and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear.
Gold
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Arcanum5/7

Gold2/7

Ratings & consensus: Arcanum
Community sentiment: Arcanum
Longevity: Arcanum
Sillage & projection: Arcanum
Value for money: Gold
Versatility: Gold
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Arcanum

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

ArcanumIncarna parfums

GoldSaskia Diez

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.17/ 5 · 63 votes

Have 29%Had 10%Want 62%

3.75/ 5 · 72 votes

Have 26%Had 16%Want 58%

Category winnerArcanumRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

43%Love

40%Like

10%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

63 votes

38%Love

32%Like

21%Ok

9%Dislike

0%Hate

34 votes

Category winnerArcanumMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage71

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage60

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityArcanum

SillageArcanum

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value54

¤ Price value67

Category winnerGoldBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

woody90%

sweet80%

balsamic70%

warm spicy60%

fruity50%

woody100%

aromatic92%

fruity84%

floral77%

amber69%

fresh spicy61%

Scent match41%Some overlap · both woody, amber and fruity

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top

CognacPlumRose

Heart

TobaccoOakHoneyAlmond

Base

Peru BalsamTolu BalsamAmberMyrrhMossSandalwoodBenzoin

Top

JuniperCassisBergamotArtemisia

Heart

OsmanthusFreesiaMyrrhMagnoliaPeachPlumRose

Base

SandalwoodMuskCedarAmberPatchouliMossLabdanumCastoreum

InformationalShared notesPlum, Rose, Amber and Myrrh. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring13

Summer4

Fall100

Winter79

Day33

Night100

Spring100

Summer88

Fall100

Winter50

Day100

Night86

Category winnerGoldMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men9

Unisex70

Women22

Men0

Unisex80

Women20

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#9,985

PerfumerNatalia Vitkovskaya

Launched—

Reviews12

Overall rank#17,587

PerfumerGeza Schoen

Launched—

Reviews7

Category winnerArcanumHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Arcanum by Incarna Parfums is a rich unisex scent centered on cognac, dried fruits, and tobacco. Launched in 2018, it delivers a dense, resinous profile ideal for cold weather wear. This fragrance stands out for its deep, honeyed woody character that develops slowly on the skin. It suits those seeking a bold, cozy sig…

Reviews →

Gold by Saskia Diez is a woody, aromatic chypre floral with a bright, slightly bitter opening of juniper, cassis and bergamot. The heart turns plush and fruit tinted, think peach, plum and osmanthus over soft florals, then settles into a mossy, resinous base with patchouli, labdanum, amber and creamy woods. It can rea…

Reviews →

InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

BohemeSegreti di LuccaRUNNER-UP vs

Soir de LuneSisleyWINNER

1 person compared this today

Orange FlowerOscar de la RentaRUNNER-UP vs

Ti AmoRoja DoveWINNER

1 person compared this today

Eau de BruxellesLibertin Louison Technique IndiscreteRUNNER-UP vs

Private ClubJeanne ArthesWINNER

1 person compared this today

PatchouliJouriRUNNER-UP vs

al03biehl parfumkunstwerkeWINNER

1 person compared this today

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Arcanum or Gold?

Arcanum takes 5 of 7 categories. Arcanum is rated 4.17/5 from 63 votes; Gold is rated 3.75/5 from 72 votes. Choose Arcanum for a amber and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Gold for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Arcanum or Gold?

Arcanum lasts longest (Arcanum 78/100, Gold 73/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Arcanum or Gold?

Arcanum projects furthest (Arcanum 71/100, Gold 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Arcanum and Gold smell similar?

Some overlap: a 41% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, amber and fruity accords. Common notes include Plum, Rose, Amber and Myrrh.

Is Arcanum or Gold better for summer or winter?

For summer, Gold is the stronger pick. For winter, Arcanum is the stronger pick. Arcanum suits evening wear; Gold suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Arcanum and Gold?

Arcanum has top notes of Cognac, Plum and Rose, heart notes of Tobacco, Oak, Honey and Almond, a base of Peru Balsam, Tolu Balsam, Amber and Myrrh. Gold has top notes of Juniper, Cassis, Bergamot and Artemisia, heart notes of Osmanthus, Freesia, Myrrh and Magnolia, a base of Sandalwood, Musk, Cedar and Amber.