Fragrance comparison

Black Angel vs Private Saffron

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 159 ratings analysed

Black Angel

Mark Buxton · 2008

3.96158 votes

Rank #13,935 AmberFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

41%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Private Saffron

Modern Armorist

5.001 votes

Rank #47,300 WoodyAmber

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Private Saffron takes 3 of 4 categories.

Black Angel
Choose it for a amber and fresh spicy character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Private Saffron
Choose it for a woody and amber character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, evening wear.

Black Angel1/4

Private Saffron3/4

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Private Saffron
Sillage & projection: Private Saffron
Value for money: Private Saffron
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Black Angel

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Black AngelMark Buxton

Private SaffronModern Armorist

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.96/ 5 · 158 votes

Have 39%Had 15%Want 47%

5.00/ 5 · 1 votes

Have 100%Had 0%Want 0%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

31%Love

42%Like

20%Ok

6%Dislike

1%Hate

142 votes

100%Love

0%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

1 vote · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity59

〰 Sillage60

♥ Love / hate74

⏱ Longevity100

〰 Sillage100

♥ Love / hate100

Category winners

LongevityPrivate Saffron

SillagePrivate Saffron

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value47

¤ Price value50

Category winnerPrivate SaffronBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

fresh spicy92%

citrus84%

patchouli77%

woody69%

fresh61%

woody100%

amber92%

aromatic84%

warm spicy77%

fresh spicy69%

powdery61%

Scent match41%Some overlap · both amber, woody and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15 to 30 minutes

GingerCitrusesCardamomMandarin OrangeRosemaryBergamotCorianderOrange

Heart1 to 2 hours

NutmegOrris RootJasmineLily-of-the-Valley

Base3 to 4 hours

AmberGuaiac WoodStyraxPatchouli

Top

GrapefruitArtemisiaBergamotLavenderCardamomCinnamonSaffronCypress

Heart

Lily-of-the-ValleyFloral NotesCashmeranGeraniumLabdanumJasmineTobaccoCedar

Base

Guaiac WoodSandalwoodTonka BeanPatchouliAgarwoodVanillaBenzoinLeather

InformationalShared notesCardamom, Bergamot, Jasmine and Lily-of-the-Valley. Durations are only published for Black Angel, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring63

Summer47

Fall100

Winter71

Day100

Night77

Spring100

Summer0

Fall100

Winter100

Day–

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men23

Unisex63

Women14

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#13,935

PerfumerMark Buxton

Launched2008

Reviews9

Overall rank#47,300

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerBlack AngelHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Black Angel by Mark Buxton is an aromatic citrus fragrance that pairs brisk orchard fruit with a dark, resinous foundation. The opening delivers a crisp burst of mandarin orange, bergamot, and spicy ginger, sharpened by rosemary, coriander, and green cardamom. As that initial sparkle softens, culinary nutmeg and powde…

Reviews →

Modern Armorist Private Saffron is a rich, grounding perfume that balances energetic citrus with deep woods and warm kitchen spices. It opens with a brisk kick of ruby grapefruit, fresh lavender, and cracked cardamom before settling into a heart of aromatic cypress, sweet pipe tobacco, and smooth cedar. The base ancho…

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, Black Angel or Private Saffron?

Private Saffron takes 3 of 4 categories. Black Angel is rated 3.96/5 from 158 votes; Private Saffron is rated 5.00/5 from 1 votes. Choose Black Angel for a amber and fresh spicy character. Wins on fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Private Saffron for a woody and amber character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Black Angel or Private Saffron?

Private Saffron lasts longest (Private Saffron 100/100, Black Angel 59/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Black Angel or Private Saffron?

Private Saffron projects furthest (Private Saffron 100/100, Black Angel 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Black Angel and Private Saffron smell similar?

Some overlap: a 41% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Cardamom, Bergamot, Jasmine and Lily-of-the-Valley.

Is Black Angel or Private Saffron better for summer or winter?

Black Angel suits daytime wear; Private Saffron suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Black Angel and Private Saffron?

Black Angel has top notes of Ginger, Citruses, Cardamom and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Nutmeg, Orris Root, Jasmine and Lily-of-the-Valley, a base of Amber, Guaiac Wood, Styrax and Patchouli. Private Saffron has top notes of Grapefruit, Artemisia, Bergamot and Lavender, heart notes of Lily-of-the-Valley, Floral Notes, Cashmeran and Geranium, a base of Guaiac Wood, Sandalwood, Tonka Bean and Patchouli.