Fragrance comparison

Balahe vs Gem Eau de Toilette

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

Updated 20 Oct 2026 1,079 ratings analysed

Balahe

Leonard

4.23521 votes

Rank #4,195 SweetPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

50%scent match

Some overlap

5 wins

Gem Eau de Toilette

Van Cleef & Arpels

4.32558 votes

Rank #1,864 WoodyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Gem Eau de Toilette takes 5 of 8 categories.

Balahe
Choose it for a sweet and powdery character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear.
Gem Eau de Toilette
Choose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Balahe2/8

Gem Eau de Toilette5/8

Ratings & consensus: Gem Eau de Toilette
Community sentiment: Gem Eau de Toilette
Longevity: Gem Eau de Toilette
Sillage & projection: Gem Eau de Toilette
Value for money: Balahe
Versatility: Balahe
Note pyramid (duration): Tie
Fragranxe ranking: Gem Eau de Toilette

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

BalaheLeonard

Gem Eau de ToiletteVan Cleef & Arpels

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.23/ 5 · 521 votes

Have 62%Had 38%Want 0%

4.32/ 5 · 558 votes

Have 66%Had 34%Want 0%

Category winnerGem Eau de ToiletteRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

47%Love

40%Like

2%Ok

10%Dislike

0%Hate

521 votes

50%Love

40%Like

2%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

558 votes

Category winnerGem Eau de ToiletteMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity79

〰 Sillage72

♥ Love / hate83

Category winners

LongevityGem Eau de Toilette

SillageGem Eau de Toilette

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value51

¤ Price value39

Category winnerBalaheBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

sweet100%

powdery92%

white floral84%

woody77%

musky69%

fruity61%

woody100%

warm spicy92%

aromatic84%

fruity77%

sweet69%

white floral61%

Scent match50%Some overlap · both woody, sweet and white floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

PlumAldehydesClary SageCorianderAnisePineappleMandarin OrangeBergamot

Heart3-4 hrs

TuberoseOrchidOrris RootYlang-YlangIrisRoseJasmineOrange Blossom

Base8-10+ hrs

CivetOpoponaxVanillaSandalwoodMuskVetiver

Top20-30 mins

PlumPeachBrazilian RosewoodCardamomCorianderCypressMyrtle

Heart3-4 hrs

Ylang-YlangCarnationJasmineTuberoseClovesRoseIrisOrris Root

Base8-10+ hrs

CivetOakmossAmberPatchouliVanillaVetiver

Category winnerTieSame dry-down length

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring27

Summer19

Fall0

Winter100

Day37

Night100

Spring38

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day37

Night100

Category winnerBalaheMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men2

Unisex44

Women55

Date 41%Party 33%Casual 15%Work 10%

Men0

Unisex25

Women75

Date 41%Party 32%Casual 15%Work 12%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#4,195

PerfumerDaniel Moliere

Launched—

Reviews50

Overall rank#1,864

PerfumerRoger Pellegrino

Launched—

Reviews36

Category winnerGem Eau de ToiletteHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Balahe by Leonard is a decadent 1983 oriental floral that refuses to whisper. Dark, syrupy plum immediately collides with sharp aldehydes and spicy coriander in the opening. Give it five minutes. Once that initial solvent burst settles, a lush heart of creamy tuberose, powdery iris, and warm ylang-ylang unfolds across…

Reviews →

Van Cleef & Arpels Gem Eau de Toilette opens with a rich wave of spiced plum, ripe peach, and crushed coriander seeds. Created in 1987 by perfumer Roger Pellegrino, this classic fruity chypre balances juicy stone fruit against a deep spine of Brazilian rosewood, carnation, and earthy oakmoss. As the fragrance settles …

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.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Balahe or Gem Eau de Toilette?

Gem Eau de Toilette takes 5 of 8 categories. Balahe is rated 4.23/5 from 521 votes; Gem Eau de Toilette is rated 4.32/5 from 558 votes. Choose Balahe for a sweet and powdery character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Gem Eau de Toilette for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Balahe or Gem Eau de Toilette?

Gem Eau de Toilette lasts longest (Gem Eau de Toilette 79/100, Balahe 72/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Balahe or Gem Eau de Toilette?

Gem Eau de Toilette projects furthest (Gem Eau de Toilette 72/100, Balahe 62/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Balahe and Gem Eau de Toilette smell similar?

Some overlap: a 50% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, sweet and white floral accords. Common notes include Plum, Coriander, Tuberose and Orris Root.

Is Balahe or Gem Eau de Toilette better for summer or winter?

For summer, Balahe is the stronger pick. For winter, Balahe is the stronger pick. Balahe suits evening wear; Gem Eau de Toilette suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Balahe and Gem Eau de Toilette?

Balahe has top notes of Plum, Aldehydes, Clary Sage and Coriander, heart notes of Tuberose, Orchid, Orris Root and Ylang-Ylang, a base of Civet, Opoponax, Vanilla and Sandalwood. Gem Eau de Toilette has top notes of Plum, Peach, Brazilian Rosewood and Cardamom, heart notes of Ylang-Ylang, Carnation, Jasmine and Tuberose, a base of Civet, Oakmoss, Amber and Patchouli.