Fragrance comparison

Cerruti 1881 Black vs Sparkling Opal

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

Updated 15 Oct 2026 460 ratings analysed

Cerruti 1881 Black

Cerruti

4.08333 votes

Rank #3,823 Fresh SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

37%scent match

Some overlap

5 wins

Sparkling Opal

Thameen

4.39127 votes

Rank #3,820 WoodyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Sparkling Opal takes 5 of 7 categories.

Cerruti 1881 Black
Choose it for a fresh spicy and woody character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear.
Sparkling Opal
Choose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Cerruti 1881 Black2/7

Sparkling Opal5/7

Ratings & consensus: Sparkling Opal
Community sentiment: Sparkling Opal
Longevity: Sparkling Opal
Sillage & projection: Sparkling Opal
Value for money: Cerruti 1881 Black
Versatility: Cerruti 1881 Black
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Sparkling Opal

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Cerruti 1881 BlackCerruti

Sparkling OpalThameen

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.08/ 5 · 333 votes

Have 59%Had 41%Want 0%

4.39/ 5 · 127 votes

Have 35%Had 8%Want 58%

Category winnerSparkling OpalRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

30%Love

56%Like

6%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

333 votes

71%Love

18%Like

7%Ok

2%Dislike

2%Hate

89 votes

Category winnerSparkling OpalMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity67

〰 Sillage60

♥ Love / hate77

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage70

♥ Love / hate87

Category winners

LongevitySparkling Opal

SillageSparkling Opal

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value74

¤ Price value60

Category winnerCerruti 1881 BlackBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fresh spicy100%

woody90%

sweet80%

citrus70%

lavender60%

oud50%

woody100%

warm spicy92%

powdery84%

fresh spicy77%

vanilla69%

leather61%

Scent match37%Some overlap · both woody and fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Bitter OrangeLavenderPepper

Heart2-3.5 hrs

NutmegCedarCaraway

Base5-7 hrs

MarzipanAgarwood (Oud)Guaiac Wood

Top

SaffronNutmegPepper

Heart

Orris RootAgarwood (Oud)CinnamonLabdanumRoseJasmineCedar

Base

VanillaSandalwoodAmyrisGuaiac WoodLeatherMusk

InformationalShared notesPepper, Nutmeg, Cedar and Agarwood (Oud). Durations are only published for Cerruti 1881 Black, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring78

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day83

Night100

Spring46

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerCerruti 1881 BlackMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men88

Unisex12

Women0

Casual 34%Work 30%Date 24%Party 12%

Men29

Unisex58

Women13

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#3,823

PerfumerMichel Girard

Launched—

Reviews44

Overall rank#3,820

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews20

Category winnerSparkling OpalHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Cerruti 1881 Black takes a surprisingly clever turn away from traditional barbershop citrus colognes. The opening hits immediately with sharp bitter orange, aromatic French lavender, and cracked black pepper. There is an initial two-minute blast of dry alcohol lift before the oils melt into your skin. As the brisk cit…

Reviews →

Sparkling Opal by Thameen is a fragrance for women. Sparkling Opal was launched in 2020. Top notes are Saffron, Nutmeg and Pepper; middle notes are Orris Root, Agarwood (Oud), Cinnamon, Labdanum, Rose, Jasmine and Cedar; base notes are Vanilla, Sandalwood, Amyris, Guaiac Wood, Leather, Musk and Cedar. It opens with Sa…

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, Cerruti 1881 Black or Sparkling Opal?

Sparkling Opal takes 5 of 7 categories. Cerruti 1881 Black is rated 4.08/5 from 333 votes; Sparkling Opal is rated 4.39/5 from 127 votes. Choose Cerruti 1881 Black for a fresh spicy and woody character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Sparkling Opal for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, Cerruti 1881 Black or Sparkling Opal?

Sparkling Opal lasts longest (Sparkling Opal 80/100, Cerruti 1881 Black 67/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Cerruti 1881 Black or Sparkling Opal?

Sparkling Opal projects furthest (Sparkling Opal 70/100, Cerruti 1881 Black 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Cerruti 1881 Black and Sparkling Opal smell similar?

Some overlap: a 37% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Pepper, Nutmeg, Cedar and Agarwood (Oud).

Is Cerruti 1881 Black or Sparkling Opal better for summer or winter?

For summer, Cerruti 1881 Black is the stronger pick. For winter, Cerruti 1881 Black is the stronger pick. Cerruti 1881 Black suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Cerruti 1881 Black and Sparkling Opal?

Cerruti 1881 Black has top notes of Bitter Orange, Lavender and Pepper, heart notes of Nutmeg, Cedar and Caraway, a base of Marzipan, Agarwood (Oud) and Guaiac Wood. Sparkling Opal has top notes of Saffron, Nutmeg and Pepper, heart notes of Orris Root, Agarwood (Oud), Cinnamon and Labdanum, a base of Vanilla, Sandalwood, Amyris and Guaiac Wood.