Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 was released in 2014, a celebration of the the Baccarat Crystal 250th anniversary with this addictive, stunning fragrance. Only 250 of these bottles were produced and their cost was $4,000. The name of the fragrance was inspired by the bottle manufacturing process where clear crystal was mixed with 24-carat gold powder and gradually heated to a temperature of 540 degrees, creating a golden red color.
Baccarat Rouge 540 has become part of the MFK Collection. The fragrance is the same and is described by Kurkdjian not by top, middle and base notes but rather by three separate accords – breeze (jasmine and saffron), heat (cedarwood) and mineral (ambergris). The fuller list of notes are saffron, jasmine, amberwood, marigold, ambergris, fir resin and cedar.
What we know for sure, it is a really addictive and plush and has become one of the most sought after perfumes in the online community and is on almost every "must-have" perfume list, despite its aspirational pricing. It joins Le Labo Santal 33, Byredo Gypsy Water, and Glossier You as "it" fragrances, and this one is likely to stay there for the long term. It has inspired a ton of perfumes with a similar DNA - Ariana Grande Cloud, Burberry For Her, etc. So those are good subs at a lower price point.
BR540 gets you compliment after compliment, people will stop you in the street to ask what you have on. Is it worth the price tage? You know, for some people, no, they get almost nothing, there may be some notes that have a higher than normal anosimia factor. But for those it works on, it really, really works.
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 is an eau de parfum, edp.
Refinery 29 - "TikToker Tayla Maree's video on the perfume has amassed 2.4 million views so far. 'I’ve had people stop me in the street and be like, 'What are you wearing?' I’ve had boyfriends ask me what perfume I’m wearing so that they can buy it for their girlfriends,' she said. 'I work in women’s fashion and the amount of times ladies have left their changing room and been like, ‘I can smell you in there, what are you wearing?' [In] bars people will come to me like, 'What is that?' Every single day I get compliments on this perfume.'"
Candy Perfume Boy - " In fact, I don’t think I said this when I reviewed Baccarat Rouge 540 last year, but I think it is easily the cleverest perfume composition of the last five years. For a short formula it does a lot, evoking white and red hot crystal with novel accords that feel entirely new. It’s a technical marvel but it’s also a rather unrestrained essay in excess, from a perfumer who usually brings us spacious, chic beauty with a steady hand."
Basenotes - "Salted sugary cotton candy with something alluring and seductive. The more I wear it the more I am seduced by the sweet unique smell. I cannot help but like it."
Basenotes - "The opening is smooth and sweet, mandarin ambery and resinous, like a lightweight (frank)incense. As if there's liquid incense mixed with orange blossom honey. The incense vibe seems perfectly integrated with the orange, that to me also comes across as orange blossom...BR540 is not a linear scent, it's turbulent! I don't think I've experienced that before in a way where such unpredictability is... laudable and must be 'calculated' so to speak."
From The Style and Beauty Doctor - "I spritz on Baccarat Rouge 540 and instantly I feel upgraded—like I could have on an old tee and cargo shorts and you COULDN’T TELL ME I wasn’t wearing couture. It’s an amazing blend of floral and woody which is perfect for a life-long floral opponent quite like myself. I imagine Dominique Deveraux on Dynasty would love a fragrance like this—which is who I secretly (but not so secretly) pretend I am when I wear this."
Fragrantica - "Smelled this for the first time back in 2017. This scent is a work of art in a bottle. Never have I smelled such a unique scent. Smells like what red crystals look like they would smell like. Recently discovered that this fragrance was made for baccarat and they wanted a fragrance smelling like the fine crystals they manufacture and the art was depicted perfectly with this fragrance. This scent blew my mind, it’s truly a masterpiece."
Fragrantica - "Wow, is this how high quality perfumery can be? Are there others as special as this in the "niche" world that I've been too broke to discover, or is Baccarat just in a realm of its own? The notes tell me nothing, and no description can do it justice, but I'd call it a translucent sweetness. I'm not over exaggerating when I say it sends a literal chill down my spine. Incredible."
Francis Kurkdjian (Maison Francis Kurkdjian Paris)
