Hey Posse! Just recently I bought the Elizabeth Taylor coloured stone trio. We are talking about Diamonds and Emeralds today because green is my favourite colour. I’m saving the other two to open when I’m in real need of a new distraction.
They were on super deep discount (and I adore White Diamonds) so thought I might take a punt on these. The cost of a McDonalds small Big Mac Meal, each 50ml. So even if I hate them I can drop them off at the local thrift store and not lose any sleep. The thrill of purchase was real. I’ve had one paying gig since mid June and don’t qualify for this round of government bailout money. NO, don’t sweat it for me. Jin is still working full time, all our bills are paid and we have each other, home, food, clothing, pets and fast (for Australia) internet connections. Seriously, we are doing fine. I’m doing fine. I’m enjoying this small, quiet, local version of life.
Diamonds and Emeralds by Elizabeth Taylor 1993
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Gardenia, Peach, Apricot, Hiacynth, Orange Blossom, White Rose, Water Lily, Mandarin Orange, Sage
Heart: Tuberose, Jasmine, Magnolia, Lily, Carnation, Rose, Lily-of-the-Valley
Base: Vanilla, Amber, Tonka Bean, Musk, Patchouli
An aldehydic fruity floral is the large, lush, over the top style that Liz herself was so famous for. Orange blossom, tuberose and jasmine feel like the backbone Diamonds and Emeralds is hung upon. The tuberose is so rich it smells like it’s got some ylang bolstering it. That stone fruit note is nothing like Femme or Mitsouko, here it smells like a lip gloss version of itself.
Diamonds and Emeralds smells 100% better than I thought it would be. Don’t get me wrong, it definitely smells drug store and the way it’s put together does feel dated. Having said that, I really like it. The first 5 minutes or so burns off into a sweet white floral fragrance with presence but is not overwhelming. There is something invitingly overripe about it. Luscious is a good word to describe Diamonds and Emeralds.
Part of what I like is the bottle. It’s really comfortable in my hand, the pressed plastic silver band is also really clever, it’s an excellent grip so you won’t drop your perfume. The spritz is generous and fine.
Hyper feminine. Longevity, projection and sillage are well above average. A couple of spritzes before going out to paint the town rainbow? Yes please.
Nothing to do with todays post except Liz Taylor is included, and I think this perfume is a perfect spritz for a dame, but March did a fabulous post on Perfumes For A Dame way back in 2009.
Do you, or did you, ever have a Elizabeth Taylor perfume? Does Diamonds and Emeralds sound good to you?
Portia xx
Also wanted to say how delighted I am to hear you are enjoying the slowdown of your life – it’s nice to just… step back.. see what you have and what’s really important, isn’t it? I went to NM yesterday to try Synthetic Jungle – and realized there was little or nothing I actually needed. And little or nothing I actually wanted. Lunch with my prima was what I came in for and those couple hours were GOLD!
xoxo
OMG! I had no idea that living simply as my matriarchal grandparents did would be full of such contentment. How little money NEEDS to be spent and how few events need to occur in a week. It gives me hope for the retired years.
Portia xx
I love these Big Gal perfumes. I wasn’t a Liz gal, though. My BG was the original Oscar de la Renta (I pretty much loved everything Oscar de la Renta – including Oscar de la Renta 😉 but all of those were just so damb BIG! One spritz of OdlR was enough to clear a good-sized room! Gorgeous, though.
xoxo
Hey Musette,
When I was a squirt bitch one of the companies under my purview was Oscar de la Renta. That original set of tiny perfume, large EdT and body lotion used to sell out as soon as it came in. It was like a feeding frenzy, and we would have to get in touch with all the regulars to tell them.
Portia x
Oh, this gave me such a rush of nostalgia … your post and my older post. I miss my sense of smell. Although this one I probably COULD smell, couldn’t I? From quite some distance … I love Rosarita’s line about kitchen-sink perfumes, those bold, big-shouldered frags. Mine are all still packed away, but I suspect with a shift in the weather I may tiptoe in there and pull a couple just to see whether I can smell them at all.
HA! You could definitely smell at least the edges here March.
PLEASE go try the big guns, imagine if all it took was a 1980s powerhouse frag to reignite your smellovision!
That would be SUCH a good story. “Giorgio saved my schnoz!”
Portia xx
Hon, you could smell this on the moon!!!
xoxoxo
HA!
I didn’t follow the Liz Taylor line. Once I bought a bottle of White Diamonds at an estate sale for a dollar, sprayed it on and vowed to wait and try it again on a day where I felt strong enough to handle it. That day never came so I donated it. I do have a fondness for 80s/90s perfumes though – I call them kitchen sink perfumes because those note lists are so long and include everything but the kitchen sink!
HA! Excellent story Rosarita,
Yeah, the original is a big gal.
This is still a kitchen sinker but a lot less full on, still pretty high octane though. You might like it.
Portia xx
Never tried any of the Diamonds/jewels fragrances, my mother was a Giorgio of Beverly Hills fan back then. 😉
What a load of shite you can’t get the bailout money.
Hey TaraC,
YEAH! My Mum had Giorgio in the car for touch ups!
Yeah, it wasn’t ideal but we are doing fine. So many people I know are doing it REALLY hard. I’m good.
Portia xx
Hi Portia, I love green also–my wedding gown was pale green. The only ET fragrance I have is Black Pearls, and it is very lovely and soft, on my skin. The Fragrantica commenters are generally positive but hilariously disparate in their descriptions of it. Maybe it is one of those frags that is different on everyone.
Hi there Queen-Cupcake,
Recently I bought a vintage-ish extrait of Black Pearls. It was exquisite but so precious I knew it would never get worn. I gave it to my buddy Scotty for a birthday present and he is over the moon.
Yes, we both had wildly different fragrant rides with it so you could definitely be onto something about its shapeshifter abilities.
Portia xx
Oh I’m desperate to smell this now!
I’ve only smelled Diamonds ?? Rubies, which is fantastic.
Great honest review – I bet I would like this, but also that it won’t translate to the culture of today. 1.5 ounces is my favorite size.
Looking forward to Rubies & Sapphires ?
Hey there Ann, so nice to see you.
Another gong for Diamonds and Rubies. Can’t wait.
1.5 ounce, yes it’s a fantastic size. Perfume enough to spritz away but not so much that you’ll be bored by the end.
Portia xx
This sounds like fun — in a really ’80s way (was recently listening to an 1980s ‘best song of the month’ overview for the decade — forgot how great some of the music was). Look after yourselves. Not fair on this round of payments. Toads.
Hey Cinnamon,
Whenever we travel through Europe and parts of Asia we find it hilarious that the Mal Music is still a slice from 1980-95. Nothing new, ever. It’s part of the charm I think.
Yeah, it’s a bummer about the money and it makes me think of all the people who are in the same boat who don’t have savings or a Jin.
Portia xx
I also have D&E. I like it, it is fun and very fruity flowery. But I love Diamonds & Rubies.
AH! I have an unopened bottle of Diamonds and Rubys here Marion, I’m saving it for a day when I need a little lift. So glad to know you love it.
Portia xx
Green is my favorite color, too! I get confused, though, when there are so many notes. White Diamonds is the one I’d like to try.
My mother loved Elizabeth Taylor’s Passion and she wore it into her nineties. I could smell it from two rooms away when she sprayed it on!
YAY for GREEN AnnabellMaria!
Don’t worry about the notes, just spritz and enjoy. White Diamonds feels a lot bigger and more statement than the Emeralds sidekick.
HA! Passion was ENORMOUS!
Portia xx