Fragrance comparison

Varens Original Borneo Dream vs MCM Gold

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

Updated 4 Nov 2026 55 ratings analysed

Varens Original Borneo Dream

Ulric de Varens

3.2128 votes

Rank #55,269 OzonicAquatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

42%scent match

Some overlap

5 wins

MCM Gold

MCM - Mode Creation Munich

4.1527 votes

Rank #33,612 SweetWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

MCM Gold takes 5 of 7 categories.

Varens Original Borneo Dream
Choose it for a ozonic and aquatic character. Wins on longevity and value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear.
MCM Gold
Choose it for a sweet and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Varens Original Borneo Dream2/7

MCM Gold5/7

Ratings & consensus: MCM Gold
Community sentiment: MCM Gold
Longevity: Varens Original Borneo Dream
Sillage & projection: MCM Gold
Value for money: Varens Original Borneo Dream
Versatility: MCM Gold
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: MCM Gold

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Varens Original Borneo DreamUlric de Varens

MCM GoldMCM - Mode Creation Munich

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.21/ 5 · 28 votes

Have 24%Had 26%Want 50%

4.15/ 5 · 27 votes

Have 45%Had 16%Want 38%

Category winnerMCM GoldRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

18%Love

32%Like

4%Ok

46%Dislike

0%Hate

28 votes

30%Love

59%Like

7%Ok

4%Dislike

0%Hate

27 votes

Category winnerMCM GoldMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate55

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage69

♥ Love / hate79

Category winners

LongevityVarens Original Borneo Dream

SillageMCM Gold

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value100

¤ Price value94

Category winnerVarens Original Borneo DreamBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

ozonic100%

aquatic88%

yellow floral77%

white floral65%

woody53%

sweet42%

sweet100%

woody92%

white floral84%

yellow floral77%

honey69%

fruity61%

Scent match42%Some overlap · both yellow floral, white floral and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15-30 mins

Watermelon

Heart2-4 hrs

Ylang-YlangJasmine

Base5-7 hrs

Virginia Cedar

Top

PassionfruitMelonTangerineCassisWatermelon

Heart

TuberoseYlang-YlangJasmineMimosaClovesCinnamonRoseViolet

Base

HoneyLabdanumCedarMyrrhVetiverTonka BeanVanillaSandalwood

InformationalShared notesWatermelon, Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine and Virginia Cedar. Durations are only published for Varens Original Borneo Dream, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring80

Summer100

Fall20

Winter0

Day100

Night18

Spring67

Summer22

Fall100

Winter67

Day100

Night56

Category winnerMCM GoldMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

Men25

Unisex0

Women75

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#55,269

PerfumerPierre Bourdon

Launched—

Reviews2

Overall rank#33,612

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews3

Category winnerMCM GoldHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Ulric de Varens Original Borneo Dream presents a daring collision of crisp watermelon and brisk ozonic air. Crafted by master perfumer Pierre Bourdon, the opening lands with an unmistakable watery crunch. It is bright. You immediately get a rush of cold melon flesh followed by a sharp splash of salty ocean mist. Withi…

Reviews →

MCM Gold is a warm, fruity white floral with honeyed softness, melon freshness, mimosa, and a prominent tuberose heart. Reviewers often compare it to Givenchy Amarige, but describe MCM Gold as lighter, softer, and more watery in feel. It suits shoppers who enjoy feminine 1990s florals with sweetness and presence. Samp…

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.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

PancaldiPancaldiRUNNER-UP vs

Fight Club WhiteReyane TraditionWINNER

1 person compared this today

Tequila Pour Femme RedBhararaWINNER vs

Ameixa RubiPaixãoRUNNER-UP

1 person compared this today

Hawas TropicalRasasiWINNER vs

Kaaf Ahmed Al MaghribiAhmed Al MaghribiRUNNER-UP

1 person compared this today

Hawas VerdeRasasiRUNNER-UP vs

Kaaf Ahmed Al MaghribiAhmed Al MaghribiWINNER

1 person compared this today

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Varens Original Borneo Dream or MCM Gold?

MCM Gold takes 5 of 7 categories. Varens Original Borneo Dream is rated 3.21/5 from 28 votes; MCM Gold is rated 4.15/5 from 27 votes. Choose Varens Original Borneo Dream for a ozonic and aquatic character. Wins on longevity and value for money. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose MCM Gold for a sweet and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Varens Original Borneo Dream or MCM Gold?

Varens Original Borneo Dream lasts longest (Varens Original Borneo Dream 73/100, MCM Gold 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Varens Original Borneo Dream or MCM Gold?

MCM Gold projects furthest (MCM Gold 69/100, Varens Original Borneo Dream 61/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Varens Original Borneo Dream and MCM Gold smell similar?

Some overlap: a 42% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share yellow floral, white floral and woody accords. Common notes include Watermelon, Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine and Virginia Cedar.

Is Varens Original Borneo Dream or MCM Gold better for summer or winter?

For summer, Varens Original Borneo Dream is the stronger pick. For winter, MCM Gold is the stronger pick. Varens Original Borneo Dream suits daytime wear; MCM Gold suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Varens Original Borneo Dream and MCM Gold?

Varens Original Borneo Dream has top notes of Watermelon, heart notes of Ylang-Ylang and Jasmine, a base of Virginia Cedar. MCM Gold has top notes of Passionfruit, Melon, Tangerine and Cassis, heart notes of Tuberose, Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine and Mimosa, a base of Honey, Labdanum, Cedar and Myrrh.