Fragrance comparison

Chanel N°5 (Vintage) vs First

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

Updated 28 Oct 2026 3,687 ratings analysed

Chanel N°5 (Vintage)

Chanel

3.91204 votes

Rank #31,127 AldehydicPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

45%scent match

Some overlap

First

Van Cleef & Arpels

3.983,483 votes

Rank #925 FloralGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 8 categories split 4–4.

Chanel N°5 (Vintage)
Choose it for a aldehydic and powdery character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear.
First
Choose it for a floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Chanel N°5 (Vintage)4/8

First4/8

Ratings & consensus: First
Community sentiment: First
Longevity: Chanel N°5 (Vintage)
Sillage & projection: Chanel N°5 (Vintage)
Value for money: First
Versatility: Chanel N°5 (Vintage)
Note pyramid (duration): Chanel N°5 (Vintage)
Fragranxe ranking: First

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Chanel N°5 (Vintage)Chanel

FirstVan Cleef & Arpels

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.91/ 5 · 204 votes

Have 73%Had 27%Want 0%

3.98/ 5 · 3,483 votes

Have 63%Had 37%Want 0%

Category winnerFirstRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

51%Love

19%Like

3%Ok

24%Dislike

3%Hate

204 votes

38%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

17%Dislike

1%Hate

3,483 votes

Category winnerFirstMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity76

〰 Sillage67

♥ Love / hate73

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityChanel N°5 (Vintage)

SillageChanel N°5 (Vintage)

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value43

¤ Price value59

Category winnerFirstBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aldehydic100%

powdery92%

woody84%

fresh77%

white floral69%

iris61%

floral100%

green92%

aldehydic84%

white floral77%

yellow floral69%

fresh61%

Scent match45%Some overlap · both aldehydic, white floral and fresh

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-40 mins

AldehydesYlang-YlangNeroliLemonBergamot

Heart3-5 hrs

RoseIrisJasmineOrris RootLily-of-the-Valley

Base8-14 hrs

CivetAmberSandalwoodMuskVanillaOakmossPatchouliVetiver

Top20-30 mins

AldehydesBergamotBlack CurrantPeachMandarin OrangeRaspberry

Heart3-4 hrs

NarcissusHiacynthJasmineLily-of-the-ValleyCarnationYlang-YlangOrris RootTuberose

Base6-8+ hrs

CivetOakmossHoneyAmberMuskSandalwoodVetiverTonka Bean

Category winnerChanel N°5 (Vintage)Longest dry-down: 8-14 hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring69

Summer54

Fall92

Winter100

Day74

Night100

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter99

Day100

Night66

Category winnerChanel N°5 (Vintage)Most year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men2

Unisex31

Women67

Date 34%Party 27%Work 22%Casual 17%

Men2

Unisex12

Women86

Work 33%Casual 29%Date 25%Party 14%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#31,127

PerfumerErnest Beaux

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#925

PerfumerJean-Claude Ellena

Launched—

Reviews205

Category winnerFirstHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Chanel N°5 (Vintage) hits the nose with an icy, effervescent snap of fatty aldehydes, sharp bergamot, and golden ylang-ylang. The first spray is intense. It crackles with crisp citrus and soapy brightness before softening into velvety Grasse jasmine, powdery iris, and lush May rose. Beneath the clean floral bouquet si…

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.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Chanel N°5 (Vintage) or First?

No clear winner: the 8 categories split 4–4. Chanel N°5 (Vintage) is rated 3.91/5 from 204 votes; First is rated 3.98/5 from 3,483 votes. Choose Chanel N°5 (Vintage) for a aldehydic and powdery character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and versatility. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose First for a floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Chanel N°5 (Vintage) or First?

Chanel N°5 (Vintage) lasts longest (Chanel N°5 (Vintage) 76/100, First 72/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Chanel N°5 (Vintage) or First?

Chanel N°5 (Vintage) projects furthest (Chanel N°5 (Vintage) 67/100, First 64/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Chanel N°5 (Vintage) and First smell similar?

Some overlap: a 45% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aldehydic, white floral and fresh accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Ylang-Ylang, Bergamot and Jasmine.

Is Chanel N°5 (Vintage) or First better for summer or winter?

For summer, Chanel N°5 (Vintage) is the stronger pick. For winter, Chanel N°5 (Vintage) is the stronger pick. Chanel N°5 (Vintage) suits evening wear; First suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Chanel N°5 (Vintage) and First?

Chanel N°5 (Vintage) has top notes of Aldehydes, Ylang-Ylang, Neroli and Lemon, heart notes of Rose, Iris, Jasmine and Orris Root, a base of Civet, Amber, Sandalwood and Musk. 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.