Fragrance comparison

Vetyver Absolute vs Gem Eau de Toilette

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

Updated 15 Nov 2026 568 ratings analysed

Vetyver Absolute

Thom Browne

4.0010 votes

Rank #41,146 WoodyNutty

Full profile Similar & dupes

33%scent match

Clearly different

5 wins

Gem Eau de Toilette

Van Cleef & Arpels

4.32558 votes

Rank #2,022 WoodyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Gem Eau de Toilette takes 5 of 5 categories.

Vetyver Absolute
Choose it for a woody and nutty character. Best in winter, day or night wear.
Gem Eau de Toilette
Choose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Vetyver Absolute0/5

Gem Eau de Toilette5/5

Ratings & consensus: Gem Eau de Toilette
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Gem Eau de Toilette
Sillage & projection: Gem Eau de Toilette
Value for money: Gem Eau de Toilette
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Gem Eau de Toilette

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

Vetyver AbsoluteThom Browne

Gem Eau de ToiletteVan Cleef & Arpels

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.00/ 5 · 10 votes

Have 22%Had 4%Want 74%

4.32/ 5 · 558 votes

Have 66%Had 34%Want 0%

Category winnerGem Eau de ToiletteRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

60%Love

0%Like

20%Ok

20%Dislike

0%Hate

10 votes · too few to score

50%Love

40%Like

2%Ok

8%Dislike

0%Hate

558 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity68

〰 Sillage60

♥ Love / hate75

⏱ Longevity79

〰 Sillage72

♥ Love / hate83

Category winners

LongevityGem Eau de Toilette

SillageGem Eau de Toilette

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value19

¤ Price value39

Category winnerGem Eau de ToiletteBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

nutty83%

earthy65%

aromatic48%

leather30%

woody100%

warm spicy92%

aromatic84%

fruity77%

sweet69%

white floral61%

Scent match33%Clearly different · both woody and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top

HazelnutCypressEucalyptus

Heart

WalnutMesquite WoodOrris Root

Base

LeatherVetiverOakmoss

Top20-30 mins

PlumPeachBrazilian RosewoodCardamomCorianderCypressMyrtle

Heart3-4 hrs

Ylang-YlangCarnationJasmineTuberoseClovesRoseIrisOrris Root

Base8-10+ hrs

CivetOakmossAmberPatchouliVanillaVetiver

InformationalShared notesCypress, Orris Root, Vetiver and Oakmoss. Durations are only published for Gem Eau de Toilette, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring60

Summer20

Fall80

Winter100

Day100

Night100

Spring38

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day58

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men67

Unisex33

Women0

Men0

Unisex25

Women75

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#41,146

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews3

Overall rank#2,022

PerfumerRoger Pellegrino

Launched—

Reviews36

Category winnerGem Eau de ToiletteHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Vetyver Absolute is a dry, polished vetiver built around woods, nuts, leather and moss. The opening brings hazelnut, cypress and eucalyptus before moving into walnut, mesquite and orris, with the base settling earthy, woody and slightly leathery. It suits shoppers who like refined vetiver fragrances with a darker, aro…

Reviews →

Van Cleef & Arpels Gem Eau de Toilette opens with a rich wave of spiced plum, ripe peach, and crushed coriander seeds. Created in 1987 by perfumer Roger Pellegrino, this classic fruity chypre balances juicy stone fruit against a deep spine of Brazilian rosewood, carnation, and earthy oakmoss. As the fragrance settles …

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.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Vetyver Absolute or Gem Eau de Toilette?

Gem Eau de Toilette takes 5 of 5 categories. Vetyver Absolute is rated 4.00/5 from 10 votes; Gem Eau de Toilette is rated 4.32/5 from 558 votes. Choose Vetyver Absolute for a woody and nutty character. Best in winter, day or night wear. Choose Gem Eau de Toilette for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Vetyver Absolute or Gem Eau de Toilette?

Gem Eau de Toilette lasts longest (Gem Eau de Toilette 79/100, Vetyver Absolute 68/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Vetyver Absolute or Gem Eau de Toilette?

Gem Eau de Toilette projects furthest (Gem Eau de Toilette 72/100, Vetyver Absolute 60/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Vetyver Absolute and Gem Eau de Toilette smell similar?

Clearly different: a 33% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and aromatic accords. Common notes include Cypress, Orris Root, Vetiver and Oakmoss.

Is Vetyver Absolute or Gem Eau de Toilette better for summer or winter?

Vetyver Absolute suits day or night wear; Gem Eau de Toilette suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Vetyver Absolute and Gem Eau de Toilette?

Vetyver Absolute has top notes of Hazelnut, Cypress and Eucalyptus, heart notes of Walnut, Mesquite Wood and Orris Root, a base of Leather, Vetiver and Oakmoss. Gem Eau de Toilette has top notes of Plum, Peach, Brazilian Rosewood and Cardamom, heart notes of Ylang-Ylang, Carnation, Jasmine and Tuberose, a base of Civet, Oakmoss, Amber and Patchouli.