Opôné (2001)
by Diptyque

Opôné, now discontinued, was the starched collar of the Diptyque outfit. Its rose/saffron tandem is smart, resolute and reliable (that is, showing the typical Diptyque trait of starting as it means to go on, with considerable durability, and offering an ideal projection from the skin). It is impeccable but, unfortunately, also feels monotonous by the end of a day's wearing. It's really too bad, as the fragrance is very attractive, with a parched simplicity evocative of desiccated rose petals and a subtle aromatic twist courtesy of the saffron, which treads a fine line between the medicinal and the savoury. While far more hushed than that other, rowdier, rose in the Diptyque line, L'Ombre dans L'Eau, Opôné feels neither cheerless nor downtrodden, but instead respectably sober. I just wish it'd unwind with a large glass of something at the end of a long day; Andy Tauer's Incense Rosé, with its opening champagne salvo, is a step in the right direction.

8th February, 2011.

Like most of the scents I know from Diptyque, Opôné is based on a simple accord, in this case rose and saffron. These two principal notes are so tightly integrated that I can hardly tell where one ends and the other begins. This in itself is a remarkable feat of perfumery. The astringency of the saffron keeps the rose from becoming too sweetly cloying, and the rose prevents the saffron from turning into rice pilaf.

Again, like other Diptyque fragrances it is resolutely linear, so that once you've smelled the top notes, you've experienced the whole thing. I suppose there's an advantage to this, in that you'll know immediately whether or not you like it, and there won't be any unpleasant surprises as the hours pass.

Opôné is attractive and well-executed, but it ultimately fails to excite me as do some of the more aggressive rose fragrances, including Black Aoud, Royal Aoud and Sa Majesté la Rose.

24th December, 2009.

Diptyque Opone

Rose can sometimes be the prettiest note in the room to the exclusion of almost everything else. Most of my favorite rose scents are powerful and scream "Rose!" when I wear them. What to do when you want your scent to whisper "rose". For me I turn to the 2001 release from Diptyque Opone. Like many Diptyque scents it is almost a soliflore but for the addition in this scent of a lovely hit of saffron to go with the muted rose. The top of this is a sheer rose that doesn't barge into life and take over the room. Soon enough the saffron asserts itself and this mix of saffron and rose stays in place throughout the development. It is joined by some very light spice and wood throughout the development of this but Opone remains resolutely linear and composed around the two main notes of rose and saffron. This is such a good mix on me that this is a case where the linearity is not so boring on me, as I find with other scents. The ability to keep a lighter touch to the rose makes Opone an easier scent for me to wear when I don't want to be a sillage monster but still want to wear rose. Opone is like most of the Diptyque scents in that it has decent longevity on me but they don't project very much. Opone is the scent I use when I feel like whispering instead of screaming.

19th July, 2009.

This is one of Diptyque's recently discontinued fragrances. I'm sorry to see this one go, but unlike L'Autre and L'Eau Trois, the world isn't losing something unique.

In its transparency and minimalism it's very Diptyque. I only discern three notes - saffron, rose, and light touch of patchouli in the base.The saffron dominates the top, and in the base the patchouli-rose accord brings to mind similar but more vivid fragrances, like L'Artisan's Voleur de Roses and Czech & Speake's Rose. The longevity and sillage are quite good without being obtrusive.

Simple and straight to the point, I find it very wearable, if just a touch dull. Good, but not exciting.

3rd May, 2009.

Huge rose scent. Not incredibly wearable and incredibly boring. I'd rather have it in a potpourri, a scented candle or a room spray. At least it smells good.

22nd December, 2008.

I actually was unable to wear this outside. It's just too pungent -- I'm not sure the saffron compliments the rose very well for a skin perfume. It's very pot-pourri -- a lovely smell (for the house maybe). CDG's White has similarities but is much more wearable (i.e. it won't knock you over) and superior in every aspect.

15th August, 2008.