Fragrance comparison

First vs Tres Jourdan

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

Updated 28 Oct 2026 3,557 ratings analysed

7 wins

First

Van Cleef & Arpels

3.983,483 votes

Rank #930 FloralGreen

Full profile Similar & dupes

21%scent match

Clearly different

Tres Jourdan

Charles Jourdan

3.7274 votes

Rank #38,814 FruityPowdery

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

First takes 7 of 8 categories.

First
Choose it for a floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Tres Jourdan
Choose it for a fruity and powdery character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

First7/8

Tres Jourdan1/8

Ratings & consensus: First
Community sentiment: First
Longevity: First
Sillage & projection: First
Value for money: Tres Jourdan
Versatility: First
Note pyramid (duration): First
Fragranxe ranking: First

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

FirstVan Cleef & Arpels

Tres JourdanCharles Jourdan

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.98/ 5 · 3,483 votes

Have 63%Had 37%Want 0%

3.72/ 5 · 74 votes

Have 61%Had 39%Want 0%

Category winnerFirstRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

38%Love

41%Like

3%Ok

17%Dislike

1%Hate

3,483 votes

20%Love

51%Like

9%Ok

18%Dislike

1%Hate

74 votes

Category winnerFirstMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate68

Category winners

LongevityFirst

SillageFirst

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value59

¤ Price value60

Category winnerTres JourdanBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

floral100%

green92%

aldehydic84%

white floral77%

yellow floral69%

fresh61%

fruity100%

powdery92%

citrus84%

white floral77%

sweet69%

woody61%

Scent match21%Clearly different · both white floral

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

AldehydesBergamotBlack CurrantPeachMandarin OrangeRaspberry

Heart3-4 hrs

NarcissusHiacynthJasmineLily-of-the-ValleyCarnationYlang-YlangOrris RootTuberose

Base6-8+ hrs

CivetOakmossHoneyAmberMuskSandalwoodVetiverTonka Bean

Top20-30 mins

ApricotPeachGrapefruitCassiaRaspberryMandarin Orange

Heart2-4 hrs

VioletRoseTuberoseJasmineOrris RootLily-of-the-Valley

Base6-8 hrs

HeliotropeMuskAmberCedarVanilla

Category winnerFirstLongest dry-down: 6-8+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter99

Day100

Night66

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter24

Day100

Night35

Category winnerFirstMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men2

Unisex12

Women86

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

Men0

Unisex13

Women87

Work 38%Casual 32%Date 19%Party 11%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#930

PerfumerJean-Claude Ellena

Launched—

Reviews205

Overall rank#38,814

PerfumerMark Buxton

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerFirstHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

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 →

Tres Jourdan by Charles Jourdan is a bright, nostalgic fruity floral that captures early 1990s optimism. The first spray releases a tangy burst of ripe apricot, juicy peach, and tart grapefruit. It smells cheerful and crisp. Within twenty minutes, the lively fruit basket softens into an expansive heart of powdery viol…

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, First or Tres Jourdan?

First takes 7 of 8 categories. First is rated 3.98/5 from 3,483 votes; Tres Jourdan is rated 3.72/5 from 74 votes. Choose First for a floral and green character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Tres Jourdan for a fruity and powdery character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, First or Tres Jourdan?

First lasts longest (First 72/100, Tres Jourdan 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, First or Tres Jourdan?

Projection is very close: First 64/100, Tres Jourdan 62/100 for sillage.

Do First and Tres Jourdan smell similar?

Clearly different: a 21% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share white floral accords. Common notes include Peach, Mandarin Orange, Raspberry and Jasmine.

Is First or Tres Jourdan better for summer or winter?

For summer, First is the stronger pick. For winter, First is the stronger pick. First suits daytime wear; Tres Jourdan suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in First and Tres Jourdan?

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. Tres Jourdan has top notes of Apricot, Peach, Grapefruit and Cassia, heart notes of Violet, Rose, Tuberose and Jasmine, a base of Heliotrope, Musk, Amber and Cedar.