Fragrance comparison

Grecale vs Ivoire de Balmain

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

Updated 12 Oct 2026 1,151 ratings analysed

4 wins

Grecale

Paolo Gigli

3.9144 votes

Rank #25,471 AmberFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

17%scent match

Clearly different

Ivoire de Balmain

Pierre Balmain

4.131,107 votes

Rank #23,646 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Grecale takes 4 of 7 categories.

Grecale
Choose it for a amber and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear.
Ivoire de Balmain
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Grecale4/7

Ivoire de Balmain3/7

Ratings & consensus: Ivoire de Balmain
Community sentiment: Ivoire de Balmain
Longevity: Grecale
Sillage & projection: Grecale
Value for money: Grecale
Versatility: Grecale
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Ivoire de Balmain

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

GrecalePaolo Gigli

Ivoire de BalmainPierre Balmain

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.91/ 5 · 44 votes

Have 33%Had 23%Want 44%

4.13/ 5 · 1,107 votes

Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

32%Love

48%Like

0%Ok

20%Dislike

0%Hate

44 votes

42%Love

43%Like

2%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

1,107 votes

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity78

〰 Sillage70

♥ Love / hate73

⏱ Longevity71

〰 Sillage64

♥ Love / hate78

Category winners

LongevityGrecale

SillageGrecale

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value55

¤ Price value50

Category winnerGrecaleBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

fresh spicy88%

warm spicy77%

balsamic65%

smoky53%

sweet42%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

herbal84%

woody77%

floral69%

green61%

Scent match17%Clearly different · both fresh spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

HyacinthOrangeLemonLily-of-the-Valley

Heart2-4 hrs

IncenseNutmegCloveLavender

Base8-10+ hrs

OpoponaxAmberCedar

Top

AldehydesChamomileGalbanumMarigoldAsafoetidaArtemisiaBergamotLemon

Heart

Orris RootNarcissusCarnationNutmegTurkish RosePepperYlang-YlangIris

Base

OakmossVetiverSandalwoodIncensePatchouliLabdanumMuskTonka Bean

InformationalShared notesLemon, Incense and Nutmeg. Durations are only published for Grecale, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring19

Summer19

Fall88

Winter100

Day38

Night100

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter68

Day–

Night–

Category winnerGrecaleMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men14

Unisex14

Women71

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

Men3

Unisex37

Women60

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#25,471

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews4

Overall rank#23,646

PerfumerFrancis Camail, Michel Hy

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerIvoire de BalmainHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Paolo Gigli Grecale opens with a sharp burst of green hyacinth, sweet orange, and zesty lemon before shifting into a rich heart of clove, nutmeg, and dry incense. It feels bold and old-world. As the fragrance warms on your skin, balsamic opoponax and warm amber take over, anchored by sturdy cedarwood. The scent evokes…

Reviews →

Ivoire de Balmain stands as a definitive green chypre. It opens with a sharp, herbal punch of galbanum and marigold before settling into a sophisticated, mossy floral core. This is a scent for those who appreciate traditional, crisp structure. It feels most at home during cool spring mornings, providing an immediate s…

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, Grecale or Ivoire de Balmain?

Grecale takes 4 of 7 categories. Grecale is rated 3.91/5 from 44 votes; Ivoire de Balmain is rated 4.13/5 from 1,107 votes. Choose Grecale for a amber and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Ivoire de Balmain for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Grecale or Ivoire de Balmain?

Grecale lasts longest (Grecale 78/100, Ivoire de Balmain 71/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Grecale or Ivoire de Balmain?

Grecale projects furthest (Grecale 70/100, Ivoire de Balmain 64/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Grecale and Ivoire de Balmain smell similar?

Clearly different: a 17% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy accords. Common notes include Lemon, Incense and Nutmeg.

Is Grecale or Ivoire de Balmain better for summer or winter?

For summer, Grecale is the stronger pick. For winter, Grecale is the stronger pick. Grecale suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Grecale and Ivoire de Balmain?

Grecale has top notes of Hyacinth, Orange, Lemon and Lily-of-the-Valley, heart notes of Incense, Nutmeg, Clove and Lavender, a base of Opoponax, Amber and Cedar. Ivoire de Balmain has top notes of Aldehydes, Chamomile, Galbanum and Marigold, heart notes of Orris Root, Narcissus, Carnation and Nutmeg, a base of Oakmoss, Vetiver, Sandalwood and Incense.