Throughout its long history, Guerlain has launched several hundred perfumes. While a handful of these remain in production today, others are more difficult to find, having been discontinued or produced only for a limited time. Some of these lost or short-lived compositions are genuinely rare and highly sought after by collectors.
Fantastic Five:
When considering the most popular and enduring Guerlain fragrances, there are what might be called the “fantastic five.” These are the house’s cornerstones, perfumes that have been continuously offered for well over a century in some cases and remain iconic standards in perfumery. They include Shalimar, Mitsouko, Jicky, L’Heure Bleue, and Eau de Cologne Impériale. Far from rare, these perfumes have secured their place as timeless classics, consistently produced and readily available, ensuring their legacy within the Guerlain tradition.
- Eau de Cologne Impériale
- Jicky
- L’Heure Bleue
- Mitsouko
- Shalimar
Second Most Commonly Found:
The second most commonly found group of Guerlain perfumes consists of fragrances that, while not as universally recognized or consistently marketed as the “fantastic five,” are nevertheless widely available and often encountered both in current production and on the resale market. These perfumes represent a mix of long-standing classics, popular modern creations, and specialty lines, showing Guerlain’s ability to appeal to both traditionalists and newer audiences.
This category includes enduring staples such as Après L’Ondée, Chamade, Chant d’Arômes, Jardins de Bagatelle, Mouchoir de Monsieur, Nahema, Parure, Samsara, Sous le Vent, Vega, and Vol de Nuit. These perfumes, though perhaps less well-known to casual buyers than Shalimar or Mitsouko, still maintain a strong presence due to their historical importance or lasting popularity.
Alongside these, Guerlain’s men’s fragrances such as Derby, Habit Rouge, Héritage, Vetiver, and Guerlain Homme are frequently found, reflecting the house’s balanced portfolio between feminine and masculine compositions. Limited seasonal offerings like Muguet and later collections such as Les Voyages Olfactifs, Elixirs Charnels, and L’Art et la Matière are also well represented, as they have been actively produced and marketed within the past few decades.
Modern releases like Idylle, Insolence, La Petite Robe Noire, L’Instant, Mahora, Ode, Champs Élysées (the 1996 version), and the extensive Aqua Allegoria line further reinforce Guerlain’s presence in contemporary perfumery. While not rare, these fragrances form the backbone of the brand’s broader catalogue, widely circulated and readily available to collectors and enthusiasts alike.
The second most commonly found are :
- Apres L'Ondee
- Aqua Allegoria scents
- Chamade
- Champs Elysees (1996 version)
- Chant d'Aromes
- Coriolan
- Derby
- Eau de Guerlain
- Elixirs Charnels line
- Guerlain Homme
- Habit Rouge
- Heritage
- Idylle
- Insolence
- Jardins de Bagatelle
- La Petite Robe Noire
- L 'Art et la Matière scents
- L'Instant
- Les Voyages Olfactifs scents
- Liu
- Mahora
- Mouchoir de Monsieur
- Muguet
- Nahema
- Ode
- Parure
- Petit Guerlain
- Samsara
- Sous le Vent
- Vega
- Vetiver
- Vol de Nuit
Very Valuable:
The perfumes that fall into the “less commonly found, but very valuable” category are largely creations from the early to mid-20th century. Many of these fragrances have long since been discontinued and were produced in comparatively small numbers, which already makes them scarce. What elevates their desirability further is the bottle in which they were housed. Guerlain frequently commissioned extraordinary flacons from renowned glassmakers such as Baccarat, Pochet et du Courval, and Lalique. When these rare presentations survive intact, they can significantly increase the value of a perfume, with collectors seeking both the juice and the artistry of the bottle itself.
Among these valuable treasures are scents such as À Travers Champs, Ai Loe, Atuana, Bon Vieux Temps, Bouquet de Faunes, and Candide Effluve, each reflecting Guerlain’s imaginative approach during the first decades of the 20th century. Some fragrances, like Cachet Jaune, Chypre 53, Coque d’Or, and Cuir de Russie, reveal the house’s exploration of bold structures and innovative accords. Others—Djedi, Dawamesk, Fleur de Feu, Fleur qui Meurt, and Fol Arôme—stand out as especially rare, often commanding high prices when they appear on the market, particularly if preserved in their original luxury flacons.
Floral compositions such as Gardenia, Heliotrope, Jasmin, Jasmiralda, Kadine, Lilas, Mi Mai, and Une Fleur further demonstrate Guerlain’s deep engagement with classic perfumery themes, while Kriss, Loin de Tout, Parfum des Champs Élysées, Quand Vient l’Été, and Rue de la Paix embody the house’s artistry in balancing tradition with innovation.
Equally captivating are Sillage, Tsao-Ko, Vague Souvenir, Verveine, Voila Pourquoi J’aimais Rosine, Voilette de Madame, and Le Jardin de Mon Curé, perfumes that are seldom encountered today but remain testaments to Guerlain’s prolific creativity during this period. Each of these scents, when coupled with a rare or artistically significant flacon, becomes not just a perfume but a valuable artifact of olfactory and decorative history.
Very Valuable List:
- A Travers Champs
- Ai Loe
- Atuana
- Bon Vieux Temps
- Bouquet de Faunes
- Candide Effluve
- Cachet Jaune
- Chypre 53
- Coque d'Or
- Cuir de Russie
- Djedi
- Dawamesk
- Fleur de Feu
- Fleur qui Meurt
- Fol Arome
- Gardenia
- Guerlarose
- Guerlilas
- Guerlinade
- Heliotrope
- Jasmin
- Jasmiralda
- Kadine
- Kriss
- Lavande
- Le Jardin de Mon Cure,
- Lilas
- Loin de Tout
- Mi Mai
- Parfum des Champs Elysees
- Pour Troubler
- Quand Vient L'Ete
- Rue de la Paix
- Sillage
- Tsao-Ko
- Vague Souvenir
- Verveine
- Voila Pourquoi J'aimais Rosine
- Voilette de Madame
- Une Fleur
Rarest of the Rare:
The rarest Guerlain perfumes are those originating from the 19th century, many of which have not survived into the present day. These early creations are exceptionally scarce, and when examples do appear, they command very high prices due to both their age and historical importance. Unlike the more familiar 20th-century classics that were produced in greater numbers, most 19th-century Guerlain fragrances were made in limited runs, often tailored to a more exclusive clientele, which further contributes to their rarity today.
These perfumes were typically housed in the carré flacon, a simple square bottle that served as the standard presentation of the time. While the design itself was understated compared to the ornate bottles that came later, its presence immediately identifies a perfume as belonging to Guerlain’s earliest period. Because these flacons are fragile and over 120–180 years old, very few have survived intact, making them highly desirable among serious collectors and perfume historians alike.
The number of Guerlain’s 19th-century creations runs into the hundreds, far too many to list comprehensively. Their rarity lies not only in the perfumes themselves but also in the fact that they represent the foundation of Guerlain’s legacy, offering a glimpse into the house’s earliest experiments in perfumery. For collectors, owning one of these bottles is considered a pinnacle achievement, as they stand among the most precious relics of Guerlain’s long and storied history.
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