Fragrance comparison

Gem Parfum vs The Different

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

Updated 15 Oct 2026 47 ratings analysed

4 wins

Gem Parfum

Van Cleef & Arpels

4.5145 votes

Rank #22,843 WoodyFruity

Full profile Similar & dupes

50%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 Parfum takes 4 of 5 categories.

Gem Parfum
Choose it for a woody and fruity character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and note pyramid duration. Best in fall, evening wear.
The Different
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Gem Parfum4/5

The Different1/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Gem ParfumVan Cleef & Arpels

The DifferentVELVET SAM

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.51/ 5 · 45 votes

Have 48%Had 16%Want 37%

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

62%Love

31%Like

2%Ok

4%Dislike

0%Hate

45 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

⏱ Longevity83

〰 Sillage74

♥ Love / hate88

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate88

Category winners

LongevityGem Parfum

SillageGem Parfum

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value56

¤ Price value63

Category winnerThe DifferentBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

fruity92%

aromatic84%

warm spicy77%

sweet69%

powdery61%

woody100%

aromatic92%

warm spicy84%

rose77%

powdery69%

earthy61%

Scent match50%Some overlap · both woody, aromatic and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top20-40 mins

PeachPlumBrazilian RosewoodCardamomCorianderCypressMyrtle

Heart3-5 hrs

Ylang YlangCarnationClovesJasmineTuberoseRoseIrisOrris

Base8-12 hrs

AmberCivetOakmossPatchouliVanillaVetiver

Top15-30 mins

CardamomPink PepperWatery Notes

Heart2-4 hrs

elemiRoseIrisCypress

Base6-8 hrs

OakmossAmbergrisSandalwood

Category winnerGem ParfumLongest dry-down: 8-12 hrs

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring29

Summer24

Fall100

Winter94

Day45

Night100

Spring100

Summer0

Fall100

Winter0

Day100

Night61

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men4

Unisex26

Women70

Date 39%Party 25%Casual 19%Work 17%

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#22,843

PerfumerRoger Pellegrino

Launched—

Reviews2

Overall rank#54,396

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerGem ParfumHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Gem Parfum by Van Cleef & Arpels is a lavish fruity chypre that captures the bold, unapologetic character of late eighties perfumery. The fragrance opens with a rich wave of stewed peach and ripe dark plum, dusted with dry coriander and cardamom spices. As the initial brightness settles, a plush floral core of clove-s…

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 Parfum or The Different?

Gem Parfum takes 4 of 5 categories. Gem Parfum is rated 4.51/5 from 45 votes; The Different is rated 4.50/5 from 2 votes. Choose Gem Parfum for a woody and fruity character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and note pyramid duration. Best in fall, 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 Parfum or The Different?

Gem Parfum lasts longest (Gem Parfum 83/100, The Different 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Gem Parfum or The Different?

Gem Parfum projects furthest (Gem Parfum 74/100, The Different 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Gem Parfum and The Different smell similar?

Some overlap: a 50% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, aromatic and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Cardamom, Cypress, Rose and Iris.

Is Gem Parfum or The Different better for summer or winter?

Gem Parfum suits evening wear; The Different suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Gem Parfum and The Different?

Gem Parfum has top notes of Peach, Plum, Brazilian Rosewood and Cardamom, heart notes of Ylang Ylang, Carnation, Cloves and Jasmine, a base of Amber, Civet, Oakmoss 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.