Fragrance comparison

Percival vs Alchemy

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

Updated 22 Oct 2026 5,157 ratings analysed

Percival

Parfums de Marly

4.245,142 votes

Rank #1,814 AmberWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

55%scent match

Closely related

3 wins

Alchemy

Cuarzo The Circle · 2014

4.1315 votes

Rank #45,654 AromaticFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Alchemy takes 3 of 5 categories.

Percival
Choose it for a amber and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Alchemy
Choose it for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Percival2/5

Alchemy3/5

Ratings & consensus: Percival
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Alchemy
Sillage & projection: Alchemy
Value for money: Alchemy
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Percival

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

PercivalParfums de Marly

AlchemyCuarzo The Circle

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.24/ 5 · 5,142 votes

Have 82%Had 18%Want 0%

4.13/ 5 · 15 votes

Have 40%Had 8%Want 53%

Category winnerPercivalRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

53%Love

28%Like

12%Ok

6%Dislike

2%Hate

5,142 votes

60%Love

20%Like

7%Ok

0%Dislike

13%Hate

15 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity92

〰 Sillage75

♥ Love / hate78

Category winners

LongevityAlchemy

SillageAlchemy

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value30

¤ Price value46

Category winnerAlchemyBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

woody92%

aromatic84%

citrus77%

fresh spicy69%

musky61%

aromatic100%

fresh spicy92%

rose84%

woody77%

amber69%

warm spicy61%

Scent match55%Closely related · both aromatic, amber and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

LavenderMandarin OrangeBergamotGeraniumPink Pepper

Heart2-4 hrs

HedioneVioletJasmineCorianderCinnamonCardamom

Base6-10 hrs

AmbroxanAmberwoodMuskBalsam FirClearwoodTonka

Top

GeraniumCorianderLavenderNutmegPink PepperCardamomMandarin Orange

Heart

RoseAgarwood (Oud)AmberVetiverSandalwoodMagnoliaVioletPeach

Base

CedarBenzoinMusk

InformationalShared notesLavender, Mandarin Orange, Geranium and Pink Pepper. Durations are only published for Percival, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter33

Day100

Night41

Spring25

Summer25

Fall100

Winter75

Day67

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men92

Unisex7

Women1

Casual 35%Work 32%Date 18%Party 15%

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#1,814

PerfumerHamid Merati-Kashani

Launched—

Reviews210

Overall rank#45,654

PerfumerRamón Béjar

Launched2014

Reviews0

Category winnerPercivalHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Parfums de Marly Percival upgrades the classic fresh fragrance formula with serious concentration and muscle. It cuts deep. Tart Italian bergamot and mandarin orange burst open alongside spicy pink pepper, slicing through heavy morning air with crisp barbershop energy. Fresh lavender and geranium steady that citrus pu…

Reviews →

Alchemy by Cuarzo The Circle is a rich woody perfume built around an engaging contrast of zesty spices and deep resinous woods. It opens with an invigorating burst of fresh lavender, crushed coriander seeds, and pink pepper before gently revealing a heart of velvety rose, agarwood oud, and creamy sandalwood. As the fr…

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, Percival or Alchemy?

Alchemy takes 3 of 5 categories. Percival is rated 4.24/5 from 5,142 votes; Alchemy is rated 4.13/5 from 15 votes. Choose Percival for a amber and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Alchemy for a aromatic and fresh spicy character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Percival or Alchemy?

Alchemy lasts longest (Alchemy 92/100, Percival 72/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Percival or Alchemy?

Alchemy projects furthest (Alchemy 75/100, Percival 58/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Percival and Alchemy smell similar?

Closely related: a 55% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic, amber and woody accords. Common notes include Lavender, Mandarin Orange, Geranium and Pink Pepper.

Is Percival or Alchemy better for summer or winter?

Percival suits daytime wear; Alchemy suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Percival and Alchemy?

Percival has top notes of Lavender, Mandarin Orange, Bergamot and Geranium, heart notes of Hedione, Violet, Jasmine and Coriander, a base of Ambroxan, Amberwood, Musk and Balsam Fir. Alchemy has top notes of Geranium, Coriander, Lavender and Nutmeg, heart notes of Rose, Agarwood (Oud), Amber and Vetiver, a base of Cedar, Benzoin and Musk.