First vs Red Ruby
Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.
17%scent match
Clearly different
Quick verdict
Which one should you pick?
Red Ruby takes 4 of 7 categories.
FirstChoose it for a floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Red RubyChoose it for a citrus and vanilla character. Wins on community sentiment, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter.
First3/7
Red Ruby4/7
- Ratings & consensus
- First
- Community sentiment
- Red Ruby
- Longevity
- First
- Sillage & projection
- Red Ruby
- Value for money
- Red Ruby
- Versatility
- Red Ruby
- Note pyramid (duration)
- Not scored
- Fragranxe ranking
- First
Head-to-head breakdown
Every category side by side, with the winner called out.
Fragrance
FirstVan Cleef & ArpelsRed RubyArmafWinner
Ratings & consensus
Average rating and ownership split3.98/ 5 · 3,483 votes
Have 63%Had 37%Want 0%
4.00/ 5 · 147 votes
Have 31%Had 18%Want 51%
Category winnerFirstRating weighted by vote count
Community sentiment
How voters split from love to hate38%Love
41%Like
3%Ok
17%Dislike
1%Hate
3,483 votes
33%Love
46%Like
9%Ok
10%Dislike
1%Hate
147 votes
Category winnerRed RubyMost positive mix (25+ votes)
Longevity & sillage
0–100 community performance scores
Category winners
LongevityFirst
SillageRed Ruby
Value for money
How fairly priced voters find itCategory winnerRed RubyBest value score
Main accords
Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by bothfloral100%
green92%
aldehydic84%
white floral77%
yellow floral69%
fresh61%
citrus100%
vanilla92%
fruity84%
powdery77%
tropical69%
white floral61%
Scent match17%Clearly different · both white floral
Note pyramid (duration)
Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = sharedTop20-30 mins
AldehydesBergamotBlack CurrantPeachMandarin OrangeRaspberry
Heart3-4 hrs
NarcissusHiacynthJasmineLily-of-the-ValleyCarnationYlang-YlangOrris RootTuberose
Base6-8+ hrs
CivetOakmossHoneyAmberMuskSandalwoodVetiverTonka Bean
Top
Mandarin OrangeBergamotLily-of-the-Valley
Heart
LitchiTuberose
Base
VanillaMuskSandalwood
InformationalShared notesBergamot, Mandarin Orange, Lily-of-the-Valley and Tuberose. Durations are only published for First, so this is not scored.
Seasons & time of day
Relative to each fragrance's best seasonSpring100
Summer0
Fall0
Winter99
Day100
Night85
Spring84
Summer56
Fall0
Winter100
Day–
Night–
Category winnerRed RubyMost year-round
Who wears it
Gender appeal votesInformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored
Ranking & credits
Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launchOverall rank#955
PerfumerJean-Claude Ellena
Launched—
Reviews205
Overall rank#8,217
PerfumerNot listed
Launched—
Reviews18
Category winnerFirstHigher overall rank
In a nutshell
Description & review snapshotFirst 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 →Armaf Red Ruby opens with a bright burst of mandarin orange and bergamot, backed by a crisp touch of lily-of-the-valley. The composition quickly shifts into a tropical heart where sweet litchi and creamy tuberose take center stage. As it settles onto the skin, a rich base of vanilla and warm sandalwood emerges, creati…
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
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Common questions
Straight answers from the data above.
Which is better, First or Red Ruby?
Red Ruby takes 4 of 7 categories. First is rated 3.98/5 from 3,483 votes; Red Ruby is rated 4.00/5 from 147 votes. Choose First for a floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Red Ruby for a citrus and vanilla character. Wins on community sentiment, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter.
Which lasts longer, First or Red Ruby?
First lasts longest (First 72/100, Red Ruby 67/100), based on community performance votes.
Which projects more, First or Red Ruby?
Red Ruby projects furthest (Red Ruby 70/100, First 64/100), based on community performance votes.
Do First and Red Ruby smell similar?
Clearly different: a 17% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share white floral accords. Common notes include Bergamot, Mandarin Orange, Lily-of-the-Valley and Tuberose.
Is First or Red Ruby better for summer or winter?
For summer, Red Ruby is the stronger pick. For winter, Red Ruby is the stronger pick. First suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.
What are the notes in First and Red Ruby?
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. Red Ruby has top notes of Mandarin Orange, Bergamot and Lily-of-the-Valley, heart notes of Litchi and Tuberose, a base of Vanilla, Musk and Sandalwood.
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