The Flacon Tortue (Turtle Bottle), created in 1914, was designed exclusively for Parfum des Champs-Élysées and remained in production until the late 1950s. This remarkable flacon was conceived to commemorate the opening of Guerlain’s flagship boutique at 68, Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris. According to tradition, the design choice was symbolic: when construction delays threatened the boutique’s grand opening, the Guerlain family humorously chose the turtle as a motif—an emblem of slow but steady progress. Beyond this anecdote, author Christie Mayer Lefkowith has suggested a more poetic association, noting that turtles were thought to roam the mythological Elysian Fields, making them a fitting symbol for the perfume’s name.
The bottle itself is a striking creation in clear faceted crystal, designed to mimic the rounded, domed shell of a turtle. Its geometric cutting catches the light, lending a jewel-like brilliance to the form. On the front of the bottle, a flat polished space was reserved for a green and gold paper label, which existed in two sizes depending on the flacon: the larger label (2.4cm x 2cm) was used for the three bigger formats, while the smaller label (1.9cm x 1.7cm) appeared on the two miniature versions. The perfume itself was originally tinted a delicate green, a detail that further reinforced the thematic cohesion between the bottle, its label, and the natural imagery of the Champs-Élysées.
Production of the flacon was entrusted primarily to Baccarat, who created five different sizes: 80cc, 125cc, 250cc, 500cc, and 1 litre. In addition, Pochet et du Courval manufactured a more modest 30cc size, ensuring a range of options from intimate personal bottles to grand luxury editions.
The presentation boxes for the Flacon Tortue were equally lavish and varied. One version featured a rectangular box lined with white satin, with a green lid bearing a gold central motif but notably without a border. Another rectangular version in deep red with hinged construction displayed the same central motif, though here the scrolls lacked color and the design was framed with a double gold border. Its interior was satin-lined, with a contrasting black base. A third presentation option was more elaborate: an oval-shaped, hinged box covered in red leather, also bearing the central motif, but with the scrolls picked out in green enamel-like color and again lacking a border. Its refined finish underlined Guerlain’s dedication to producing presentations that matched the prestige of the perfume itself.
Baccarat:
Originally, the legs were frosted glass, also originally, the feet of the tortoise had gray patina, later they were versions with little or no patina.
- 80cc/80ml/2.7 oz - 11cm/4.33" (changed to 60ml - 10.2cm/4.02" in 1995 as a limited edition)
- 125cc/125ml/4.2 oz - 12.5cm/4.92"
- 250cc/250ml/8.4 oz - 15.5cm/6.1"
- 500cc/500ml/16.9 oz - 19.5cm/7.68"
- 1 liter/1000ml - 24.5cm/9.65"
Pochet et du Courval:
Model with or without patina.
- Mould #13617 = 30cc/30ml/1 oz - 8.5cm/3.35" (1924)
Bottles:
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