Belle Epoque vs First
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
19%scent match
Clearly different
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
First takes 4 of 5 categories.
Belle EpoqueChoose it for a woody and fruity character. Wins on ratings & consensus. Best in spring, day or night wear.
FirstChoose it for a floral and green character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Belle Epoque1/5
First4/5
- Ratings & consensus
- Belle Epoque
- Community sentiment
- Not scored
- Longevity
- First
- Sillage & projection
- First
- Value for money
- First
- Versatility
- Not scored
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- First
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
Belle EpoqueKnizeFirstVan Cleef & ArpelsWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.55/ 5 · 11 votes
Have 16%Had 8%Want 76%
3.98/ 5 · 3,483 votes
Have 63%Had 37%Want 0%
Category winnerBelle EpoqueRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate64%Love
27%Like
9%Ok
0%Dislike
0%Hate
11 votes · too few to score
38%Love
41%Like
3%Ok
17%Dislike
1%Hate
3,483 votes
Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityFirst
SillageFirst
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerFirstBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothwoody100%
fruity92%
sweet84%
powdery77%
warm spicy69%
floral61%
floral100%
green92%
aldehydic84%
white floral77%
yellow floral69%
fresh61%
Scent match19%Clearly different · both floral
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop
ApricotPeachPineappleGingerMirabelle PlumBlack CurrantMandarin Orange
Heart
LotusMangoVioletRoseTuberoseYlang-YlangLily-of-the-ValleyHeliotrope
Base
SandalwoodVetiverVanillaPalisander RosewoodAmbergrisCacao PodPatchouliMusk
Top20-30 mins
AldehydesBergamotBlack CurrantPeachMandarin OrangeRaspberry
Heart3-4 hrs
NarcissusHiacynthJasmineLily-of-the-ValleyCarnationYlang-YlangOrris RootTuberose
Base6-8+ hrs
CivetOakmossHoneyAmberMuskSandalwoodVetiverTonka Bean
InformationalShared notesPeach, Black Currant, Mandarin Orange and Tuberose. Durations are only published for First, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring100
Summer100
Fall40
Winter40
Day100
Night100
Spring100
Summer0
Fall0
Winter99
Day100
Night85
Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#42,117
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews0
Overall rank#954
PerfumerJean-Claude Ellena
Launched—
Reviews205
Category winnerFirstHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotBelle Epoque by Knize is an intricate floral fruity fragrance that leans into a rich, layered composition. Upon application, it presents a bright mix of apricot, pineapple, and black currant. As it warms on the skin, a massive bouquet of jasmine, tuberose, and ylang-ylang emerges, grounded by a long-lasting base of sa…
Reviews →First by Van Cleef & Arpels opens with a brisk, effervescent burst of aldehydes, tart bergamot, and ripe black currant that immediately calls to mind crisp, high-end French milled soap. As the initial sparkle settles, the scent unfolds into an abundant floral heart packed with spring narcissus, dewy green hyacinth, an…
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.
Guided comparison
Ask about this matchup
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Belle Epoque or First?
First takes 4 of 5 categories. Belle Epoque is rated 4.55/5 from 11 votes; First is rated 3.98/5 from 3,483 votes. Choose Belle Epoque for a woody and fruity character. Wins on ratings & consensus. Best in spring, day or night wear. Choose First for a floral and green character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Which lasts longer, Belle Epoque or First?
First lasts longest (First 72/100, Belle Epoque 65/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Belle Epoque or First?
First projects furthest (First 64/100, Belle Epoque 60/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Belle Epoque and First smell similar?
Clearly different: a 19% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral accords. Common notes include Peach, Black Currant, Mandarin Orange and Tuberose.
Is Belle Epoque or First better for summer or winter?
Belle Epoque suits day or night wear; First suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Belle Epoque and First?
Belle Epoque has top notes of Apricot, Peach, Pineapple and Ginger, heart notes of Lotus, Mango, Violet and Rose, a base of Sandalwood, Vetiver, Vanilla and Palisander Rosewood. First has top notes of Aldehydes, Bergamot, Black Currant and Peach, heart notes of Narcissus, Hiacynth, Jasmine and Lily-of-the-Valley, a base of Civet, Oakmoss, Honey and Amber.
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