Dark Black vs Water Calligraphy
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
61%scent match
Closely related
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Water Calligraphy takes 3 of 4 categories.
Dark BlackChoose it for a citrus and floral character. Wins on value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Water CalligraphyChoose it for a floral and citrus character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
Dark Black1/4
Water Calligraphy3/4
- Ratings & consensus
- Not scored
- Community sentiment
- Not scored
- Longevity
- Water Calligraphy
- Sillage & projection
- Water Calligraphy
- Value for money
- Dark Black
- Versatility
- Not scored
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- Water Calligraphy
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
Dark BlackLC WaikikiWater CalligraphyBy KilianWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split4.75/ 5 · 8 votes
Have 50%Had 14%Want 36%
3.37/ 5 · 621 votes
Have 63%Had 38%Want 0%
Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate75%Love
25%Like
0%Ok
0%Dislike
0%Hate
8 votes · too few to score
22%Love
52%Like
4%Ok
21%Dislike
0%Hate
499 votes
Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityWater Calligraphy
SillageWater Calligraphy
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerDark BlackBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothcitrus100%
floral92%
aromatic84%
amber77%
white floral69%
warm spicy61%
floral100%
citrus86%
aquatic72%
fresh58%
white floral44%
aromatic30%
Scent match61%Closely related · both floral, citrus and aromatic
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop15 to 30 minutes
GrapefruitBergamotCardamom
Heart1 to 2 hours
MagnoliaJasmineFreesia
Base2 to 4 hours
White MuskVetiverAmber
Top
Water LilyGrapefruit
Heart
MagnoliaJasmine
Base
VetiverCardamom
InformationalShared notesGrapefruit, Cardamom, Magnolia and Jasmine. Durations are only published for Dark Black, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring80
Summer100
Fall40
Winter20
Day100
Night60
Spring100
Summer0
Fall0
Winter8
Day–
Night–
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#30,284
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews2
Overall rank#10,691
PerfumerCalice Becker
Launched—
Reviews47
Category winnerWater CalligraphyHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotDark Black by LC Waikiki is a fresh citrus and floral fragrance anchored by warm spice and clean woods. The scent opens with a sharp burst of grapefruit and bergamot, balanced by the zesty kick of cardamom. As the initial sharpness settles, a heart of magnolia, jasmine, and freesia brings a clean floral body that keep…
Reviews →Water Calligraphy by By Kilian is a Floral Aquatic fragrance for women and men. Water Calligraphy was launched in 2012. The nose behind this fragrance is Calice Becker. Top notes are Water Lily and Grapefruit; middle notes are Magnolia and Jasmine; base notes are Vetiver and Cardamom.
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
Get a practical answer grounded in the fragrances currently selected.
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, Dark Black or Water Calligraphy?
Water Calligraphy takes 3 of 4 categories. Dark Black is rated 4.75/5 from 8 votes; Water Calligraphy is rated 3.37/5 from 621 votes. Choose Dark Black for a citrus and floral character. Wins on value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose Water Calligraphy for a floral and citrus character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
Which lasts longer, Dark Black or Water Calligraphy?
Water Calligraphy lasts longest (Water Calligraphy 62/100, Dark Black 57/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, Dark Black or Water Calligraphy?
Water Calligraphy projects furthest (Water Calligraphy 55/100, Dark Black 50/100), based on community performance votes.
Do Dark Black and Water Calligraphy smell similar?
Closely related: a 61% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share floral, citrus and aromatic accords. Common notes include Grapefruit, Cardamom, Magnolia and Jasmine.
Is Dark Black or Water Calligraphy better for summer or winter?
Dark Black suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in Dark Black and Water Calligraphy?
Dark Black has top notes of Grapefruit, Bergamot and Cardamom, heart notes of Magnolia, Jasmine and Freesia, a base of White Musk, Vetiver and Amber. Water Calligraphy has top notes of Water Lily and Grapefruit, heart notes of Magnolia and Jasmine, a base of Vetiver and Cardamom.
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