Fragrance comparison

Black Orchid vs Lemuria

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

Updated 30 Oct 2026 31,512 ratings analysed

3 wins

Black Orchid

Tom Ford · 2006

3.8531,503 votes

Rank #461 Warm SpicyEarthy

Full profile Similar & dupes

40%scent match

Some overlap

Lemuria

Grisiau

3.679 votes

Rank #59,144 AmberCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Black Orchid takes 3 of 4 categories.

Black Orchid
Choose it for a warm spicy and earthy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear.
Lemuria
Choose it for a amber and citrus character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, day or night wear.

Black Orchid3/4

Lemuria1/4

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Black OrchidTom Ford

LemuriaGrisiau

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.85/ 5 · 31,503 votes

Have 55%Had 17%Want 28%

3.67/ 5 · 9 votes

Have 33%Had 11%Want 56%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

50%Love

9%Like

6%Ok

21%Dislike

14%Hate

Share of community votes

11%Love

44%Like

44%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

9 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity83

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate77

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage46

♥ Love / hate67

Category winners

LongevityBlack Orchid

SillageBlack Orchid

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value45

¤ Price value65

Category winnerLemuriaBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

warm spicy100%

earthy85%

woody84%

sweet76%

amber67%

patchouli64%

amber100%

citrus92%

yellow floral84%

earthy77%

smoky69%

woody61%

Scent match40%Some overlap · both amber, earthy and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

TruffleGardeniaBlack CurrantYlang-YlangJasmineBergamotMandarin OrangeAmalfi Lemon

Heart

OrchidSpicesGardeniaFruity NotesYlang-YlangJasmineLotus

Base

Mexican chocolatePatchouliVanilleIncenseAmberSandalwoodVetiverWhite Musk

Top15 to 30 minutes

Mandarin OrangeGreen LeavesBergamot

Heart1 to 2 hours

Ylang-YlangJasmineVanilla

Base3 to 4 hours

IncenseEarthy NotesAmberMuskVetiver

InformationalShared notesYlang-Ylang, Jasmine, Bergamot and Mandarin Orange. Durations are only published for Lemuria, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring25

Summer15

Fall83

Winter100

Day29

Night100

Spring100

Summer50

Fall100

Winter50

Day100

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men12

Unisex56

Women32

Men0

Unisex29

Women71

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#461

PerfumerDavid Apel

Launched2006

Reviews1,594

Overall rank#59,144

PerfumerRoger Howell

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerBlack OrchidHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Black Orchid by Tom Ford is a Oriental Floral fragrance for women. Black Orchid was launched in 2006. Black Orchid was created by David Apel and Pierre Negrin. Top notes are Truffle, Gardenia, Black Currant, Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine, Bergamot, Mandarin Orange and Amalfi Lemon; middle notes are Orchid, Spices, Gardenia, Fr…

Reviews →

Lemuria by Grisiau presents a rich mix of crisp citrus, tropical florals, and resinous earth. It opens with juicy mandarin orange, tart bergamot, and a leafy green accord that feels like damp foliage. As the initial brightness settles, the fragrance shifts toward a warmer heart where sweet ylang-ylang and clean jasmin…

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 Orchid or Lemuria?

Black Orchid takes 3 of 4 categories. Black Orchid is rated 3.85/5 from 31,503 votes; Lemuria is rated 3.67/5 from 9 votes. Choose Black Orchid for a warm spicy and earthy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Lemuria for a amber and citrus character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Black Orchid or Lemuria?

Black Orchid lasts longest (Black Orchid 83/100, Lemuria 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Black Orchid or Lemuria?

Black Orchid projects furthest (Black Orchid 75/100, Lemuria 46/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Black Orchid and Lemuria smell similar?

Some overlap: a 40% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share amber, earthy and woody accords. Common notes include Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine, Bergamot and Mandarin Orange.

Is Black Orchid or Lemuria better for summer or winter?

Black Orchid suits evening wear; Lemuria suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Black Orchid and Lemuria?

Black Orchid has top notes of Truffle, Gardenia, Black Currant and Ylang-Ylang, heart notes of Orchid, Spices, Gardenia and Fruity Notes, a base of Mexican chocolate, Patchouli, Vanille and Incense. Lemuria has top notes of Mandarin Orange, Green Leaves and Bergamot, heart notes of Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine and Vanilla, a base of Incense, Earthy Notes, Amber and Musk.