Fragrance comparison

Gem Eau de Toilette vs The Different

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

Updated 15 Oct 2026 560 ratings analysed

4 wins

Gem Eau de Toilette

Van Cleef & Arpels

4.32558 votes

Rank #1,847 WoodyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

46%scent match

Some overlap

The Different

VELVET SAM

4.502 votes

Rank #54,396 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Gem Eau de Toilette takes 4 of 5 categories.

Gem Eau de Toilette
Choose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and note pyramid duration. Best in winter, evening wear.
The Different
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Gem Eau de Toilette4/5

The Different1/5

Ratings & consensus: Not scored
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Gem Eau de Toilette
Sillage & projection: Gem Eau de Toilette
Value for money: The Different
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Gem Eau de Toilette
Fragranxe ranking: Gem Eau de Toilette

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Gem Eau de ToiletteVan Cleef & Arpels

The DifferentVELVET SAM

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.32/ 5 · 558 votes

Have 66%Had 34%Want 0%

4.50/ 5 · 2 votes

Have 29%Had 7%Want 64%

Category winnerNot enough dataRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

50%Love

40%Like

2%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

558 votes

50%Love

50%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

2 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity79

〰 Sillage72

♥ Love / hate83

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate88

Category winners

LongevityGem Eau de Toilette

SillageGem Eau de Toilette

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value39

¤ Price value63

Category winnerThe DifferentBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

warm spicy92%

aromatic84%

fruity77%

sweet69%

white floral61%

woody100%

aromatic92%

warm spicy84%

rose77%

powdery69%

earthy61%

Scent match46%Some overlap · both woody, warm spicy and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-30 mins

PlumPeachBrazilian RosewoodCardamomCorianderCypressMyrtle

Heart3-4 hrs

Ylang-YlangCarnationJasmineTuberoseClovesRoseIrisOrris Root

Base8-10+ hrs

CivetOakmossAmberPatchouliVanillaVetiver

Top15-30 mins

CardamomPink PepperWatery Notes

Heart2-4 hrs

elemiRoseIrisCypress

Base6-8 hrs

OakmossAmbergrisSandalwood

Category winnerGem Eau de ToiletteLongest dry-down: 8-10+ hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring38

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day37

Night100

Spring100

Summer0

Fall100

Winter0

Day100

Night61

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex25

Women75

Date 41%Party 32%Casual 15%Work 12%

Men33

Unisex33

Women33

Work 38%Casual 34%Date 19%Party 9%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,847

PerfumerRoger Pellegrino

Launched—

Reviews36

Overall rank#54,396

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerGem Eau de ToiletteHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Van Cleef & Arpels Gem Eau de Toilette opens with a rich wave of spiced plum, ripe peach, and crushed coriander seeds. Created in 1987 by perfumer Roger Pellegrino, this classic fruity chypre balances juicy stone fruit against a deep spine of Brazilian rosewood, carnation, and earthy oakmoss. As the fragrance settles …

Reviews →

The Different by VELVET SAM opens with an immediate flash of cool green cardamom and cracked pink pepper, cut through by a splash of fresh watery notes. Within fifteen minutes, the brisk aquatic splash softens into an aromatic heart of crushed cypress needles, dewy rose petals, and powdery iris. The foundation settles…

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, Gem Eau de Toilette or The Different?

Gem Eau de Toilette takes 4 of 5 categories. Gem Eau de Toilette is rated 4.32/5 from 558 votes; The Different is rated 4.50/5 from 2 votes. Choose Gem Eau de Toilette for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and note pyramid duration. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose The Different for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Gem Eau de Toilette or The Different?

Gem Eau de Toilette lasts longest (Gem Eau de Toilette 79/100, The Different 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Gem Eau de Toilette or The Different?

Gem Eau de Toilette projects furthest (Gem Eau de Toilette 72/100, The Different 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Gem Eau de Toilette and The Different smell similar?

Some overlap: a 46% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, warm spicy and aromatic accords. Common notes include Cardamom, Cypress, Rose and Iris.

Is Gem Eau de Toilette or The Different better for summer or winter?

Gem Eau de Toilette suits evening wear; The Different suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Gem Eau de Toilette and The Different?

Gem Eau de Toilette has top notes of Plum, Peach, Brazilian Rosewood and Cardamom, heart notes of Ylang-Ylang, Carnation, Jasmine and Tuberose, a base of Civet, Oakmoss, Amber and Patchouli. The Different has top notes of Cardamom, Pink Pepper and Watery Notes, heart notes of elemi, Rose, Iris and Cypress, a base of Oakmoss, Ambergris and Sandalwood.