Fragrance comparison

Ultima II vs So Bold

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

Updated 29 Oct 2026 129 ratings analysed

Ultima II

Charles Revson

4.4821 votes

Rank #47,014 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

36%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

So Bold

Pepe Jeans London

3.66108 votes

Rank #15,772 AromaticOzonic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

So Bold takes 3 of 5 categories.

Ultima II
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.
So Bold
Choose it for a aromatic and ozonic character. Wins on longevity, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Ultima II2/5

So Bold3/5

Ratings & consensus: Ultima II
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: So Bold
Sillage & projection: Ultima II
Value for money: So Bold
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: So Bold

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Ultima IICharles Revson

So BoldPepe Jeans London

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.48/ 5 · 21 votes

Have 22%Had 37%Want 40%

3.66/ 5 · 108 votes

Have 86%Had 14%Want 0%

Category winnerUltima IIRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

48%Love

52%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

0%Hate

21 votes · too few to score

24%Love

39%Like

21%Ok

10%Dislike

6%Hate

108 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate87

⏱ Longevity62

〰 Sillage51

♥ Love / hate66

Category winners

LongevitySo Bold

SillageUltima II

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value56

¤ Price value68

Category winnerSo BoldBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

woody92%

citrus84%

fresh spicy77%

ozonic69%

white floral61%

aromatic100%

ozonic92%

lavender84%

aquatic77%

vanilla69%

soft spicy61%

Scent match36%Some overlap · both aromatic and ozonic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Clary SageViolet LeafMandarin OrangeBergamot

Heart2-4 hrs

JasmineLaurels

Base5-7 hrs

Woody NotesPatchouli

Top

T-Shirt accordBergamotMandarin Orange

Heart

Violet LeafLavenderClary Sage

Base

White LeatherTonka BeanHaitian VetiverTobacco

InformationalShared notesClary Sage, Violet Leaf, Mandarin Orange and Bergamot. Durations are only published for Ultima II, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring88

Summer75

Fall100

Winter50

Day100

Night50

Spring100

Summer73

Fall0

Winter37

Day–

Night–

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex33

Women67

Work 42%Casual 35%Date 15%Party 8%

Men85

Unisex11

Women3

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#47,014

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#15,772

PerfumerChristophe Raynaud, Jordi Fernández

Launched—

Reviews14

Category winnerSo BoldHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Ultima II by Charles Revson is a brisk green floral that immediately cuts through warm air with snapped violet leaf, bitter bergamot, and earthy clary sage. It was introduced in 1967 as a modern cosmetic companion for women seeking a sharper, more botanical alternative to heavy powdery bouquets. The fragrance opens wi…

Reviews →

So Bold is a clean aromatic leather scent built around citrus, laundry-fresh fabric, lavender, violet leaf, tonka and soft white leather. On skin it can read fresh, masculine and easy to wear, with a cotton-aquatic opening that some reviewers enjoy immediately. It is also more divisive up close. Several wearers find t…

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, Ultima II or So Bold?

So Bold takes 3 of 5 categories. Ultima II is rated 4.48/5 from 21 votes; So Bold is rated 3.66/5 from 108 votes. Choose Ultima II for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose So Bold for a aromatic and ozonic character. Wins on longevity, value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Ultima II or So Bold?

They last about the same: So Bold 62/100, Ultima II 60/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Ultima II or So Bold?

Ultima II projects furthest (Ultima II 59/100, So Bold 51/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ultima II and So Bold smell similar?

Some overlap: a 36% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic and ozonic accords. Common notes include Clary Sage, Violet Leaf, Mandarin Orange and Bergamot.

Is Ultima II or So Bold better for summer or winter?

Ultima II suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Ultima II and So Bold?

Ultima II has top notes of Clary Sage, Violet Leaf, Mandarin Orange and Bergamot, heart notes of Jasmine and Laurels, a base of Woody Notes and Patchouli. So Bold has top notes of T-Shirt accord, Bergamot and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Violet Leaf, Lavender and Clary Sage, a base of White Leather, Tonka Bean, Haitian Vetiver and Tobacco.