Fragrance comparison

Ultima II vs Waterways Spell

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

Updated 29 Oct 2026 47 ratings analysed

3 wins

Ultima II

Charles Revson

4.4821 votes

Rank #47,014 AromaticWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

30%scent match

Clearly different

Waterways Spell

Agarthi

3.9126 votes

Rank #33,934 GreenMossy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Ultima II takes 3 of 5 categories.

Ultima II
Choose it for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Waterways Spell
Choose it for a green and mossy character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Ultima II3/5

Waterways Spell2/5

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

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Ultima IICharles Revson

Waterways SpellAgarthi

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.48/ 5 · 21 votes

Have 22%Had 37%Want 40%

3.91/ 5 · 26 votes

Have 23%Had 6%Want 71%

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

43%Love

29%Like

10%Ok

10%Dislike

10%Hate

21 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity60

〰 Sillage59

♥ Love / hate87

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate74

Category winners

LongevityWaterways Spell

SillageUltima II

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value56

¤ Price value39

Category winnerUltima IIBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

aromatic100%

woody92%

citrus84%

fresh spicy77%

ozonic69%

white floral61%

green100%

mossy90%

aquatic80%

citrus70%

aromatic60%

earthy50%

Scent match30%Clearly different · both aromatic and citrus

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

Green LeavesLemonMandarin OrangeBergamot

Heart

Green Bell PepperWater NotesViolet Leaf

Base

LichenOakmossClary SageCedar

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

Spring89

Summer100

Fall33

Winter0

Day100

Night20

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex33

Women67

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

Men36

Unisex57

Women7

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#47,014

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#33,934

PerfumerAlex Lee

Launched—

Reviews4

Category winnerWaterways SpellHigher 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 →

Waterways Spell opens with sharp citrus and wet green leaves, then settles into an aquatic, mossy green scent with violet leaf and a noticeable bell pepper edge. It usually reads fresh, slightly salty, and a touch aromatic rather than sweet. It suits spring and summer best, especially daytime wear. If you enjoy crisp …

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 Waterways Spell?

Ultima II takes 3 of 5 categories. Ultima II is rated 4.48/5 from 21 votes; Waterways Spell is rated 3.91/5 from 26 votes. Choose Ultima II for a aromatic and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Waterways Spell for a green and mossy character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in summer, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Ultima II or Waterways Spell?

Waterways Spell lasts longest (Waterways Spell 68/100, Ultima II 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Ultima II or Waterways Spell?

Ultima II projects furthest (Ultima II 59/100, Waterways Spell 54/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Ultima II and Waterways Spell smell similar?

Clearly different: a 30% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share aromatic and citrus accords. Common notes include Clary Sage, Violet Leaf, Mandarin Orange and Bergamot.

Is Ultima II or Waterways Spell better for summer or winter?

Ultima II suits daytime wear; Waterways Spell suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Ultima II and Waterways Spell?

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. Waterways Spell has top notes of Green Leaves, Lemon, Mandarin Orange and Bergamot, heart notes of Green Bell Pepper, Water Notes and Violet Leaf, a base of Lichen, Oakmoss, Clary Sage and Cedar.