Byzance Rochas (1987)Eau de Toilette

Version from 1987

Byzance (1987) (Eau de Toilette) by Rochas

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Byzance (1987) (Eau de Toilette) (Rochas)

Where to buy

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7.9 / 10 144 Ratings

Byzance (1987) (Eau de Toilette) is a popular perfume by Rochas for women and was released in 1987. The scent is floral-spicy. The longevity is above-average. The production was apparently discontinued.

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Perfumers

Nicolas Mamounas, Alberto Morillas

Fragrance Notes

Top Notes	Aldehydes, Basil, Carnation, Spices, Green notes, Cardamom, Mandarin, Lemon, Citrus fruits
Heart Notes	Aniseed, Orris root, Jasmine, Lily-of-the-valley, Rose, Tuberose, Ylang-ylang
Base Notes	Amber, Heliotrope, Musk, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Cedar

Ratings

Scent

7.9 (144 Ratings)

Longevity

8.3 (106 Ratings)

Sillage

7.7 (95 Ratings)

Bottle

8.7 (113 Ratings)

Submitted by DonVanVliet, last update on 14.02.2020.

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Reviews

02/16/2019

8.5
Scent 8
Longevity 8
Sillage 9
Bottle

Serenissima

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Serenissima

Top Review 15

a mosaic of colorful and precious scent stones

"Byzantium" and "Byzantine Age": the sound alone awakens the images of a past glorious epoch.
The changeable history of this city alone is still the stuff of many long treatises today But don't worry ...

"Byzance" by Rochas belongs, as does the Byzantine splendour, to a blown away epoch.
In 1987 the time of the "great golden" perfume creations was almost over; it shouldn't be long before the pendulum changed and a new age of fragrance dawned.
The opulent was first put in the corner.

But "Byzance" brings me once again the memory of a time that had many surprises and discoveries in store for me.
Bright colours in the clothing and partly enormous sounds in the music played a big role at that time; also "Byzance" shines.

Aldehydes, full of lustre, open the door to different spices and herbs: the scent world of the south is spreading.
The slightly peppery spice of basil alone shows off, pulls the spicy carnation to its side and accompanies all kinds of fruit from the citrus fruit world: fresh, juicy fruit meets green spiciness here.
A prelude, which lies like a green, invigorating belt around a big city, presents itself.
Aniseed and iris root: earthy spiced powder mutes this fruit freshness for a moment in a refined and conscious way.
The scented white flowering plants Jasmine, Lily of the Valley and Tuberose have their big appearance: they appear in full scent beauty!
These could be the reason why some women take a step back: White flowering plants that appear "in commune" sometimes turn out to be a bit tricky, not to say "pissed" (as it is also formulated).
A full blossomed fragrance rose opens the senses for what follows now and Ylang-Ylang hovers around the previous fragrance composition shining and shimmering.
Now still female becomes "Byzance" now quite sensual woman: this fragrance discovers eroticism!
No, not loud, not obtrusive: very elegant, but still very targeted.
Dark purple flowering vanilla flower/heliotrope announces the arrival of the creamy white vanilla: the divine Aphrodite has arrived!
Musk and sandalwood, full of aroma, but skillfully dosed, deepen the fragrant warmth of this painting.
The highlight is now the dark golden resinous amber spice and the intensive spicy cedar wood.
"It's done!" you want to sigh!

"Byzance" by Rochas draws for me a mosaic of precious-colored scent stones; here I meet the delicate aquamarine, dark blue lapis, a hint of emerald green and a lot of gold - matt gold that surrounds and caresses everything.
As this fragrance hovers around me for a long time; here again the "old school" becomes noticeable.
The intensity, which built up harmoniously in the course of the fragrance, decreases just as pleasantly:
"Byzance" becomes quieter, softer - but remains unchanged noble and a blessing for the senses!
Even after a long night, this fragrance is a pleasant and friendly companion:
The way I want to wake up!

The bottle lives up to its name, simply by its shape.
Maybe he could've used a little more glitter or gold ornaments.
But the company Rochas is quite reticent as you know: the way it is, it is good!

I have already spent the start of this day in very pleasant company, thanks to the noble donor, whose "to go" folder I was once again allowed to rob.
She knows I hug her with this!

9 Replies

09/14/2018

10
Scent 8
Longevity 8
Sillage 10
Bottle

Smitty

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Smitty

Top Review 29

East meets west.

It was fall 1989.
The embassy in Warsaw could not be found, the normal address was not valid, there were the GDR citizens who were fed up with the best system in the world. I also, well, it was praised by the media and government, but the reality looked different and woe betide if someone else meant it.
In the late 80's, the best system in the world in Poland was so bad that I just wanted to go to the West, at least for a year, where there was everything, where people were doing so well and everything was so colourful. I wanted to go to West Berlin as an au pair, was incredibly motivated to learn and work there.
It was a miracle, but I found the new embassy and got the visa, don't ask how, that would make a little novella or a thriller;
At the end of October I came to West Berlin, I had to travel 7 hours by train, remember the human voices from huge demos I took from the waiting train.
On 9.11 when I went to the German course as always, I saw many Poles standing in front of the bank, wrong, it already turned out during the course, it was the GDR citizens...Się got welcome money and were just allowed to go to West Berlin. Miracles!
I lived not far from Ku_Damm, at that time it was THE street, for me a girl from the east, a paradise, a big beautiful piece of the world, to stroll, to admire, to meet with new friends at the Berlin Klops at the Europa Uhr or in the cinema "Wenn Harry Sally traf" to see...
Somewhere there, I don't remember in which department store, maybe Wertheim, rather not in Woollworth, there were not so nice smells, I found a nice bottle in a shelf at the back, blue, with golden decorations.
I was so young, I only knew fragrances from small funny newspaper kiosks, so it was with us in Eastern Europe, no Western expensive, at the most from Bourjois Flamme, Evasion or Coty Masumi, or Smitty.
Here in West Berlin started my big perfume and not only adventure.
But I still remember Byzance and the moment I got to know the fragrance very well. It did not smell as heavy and serious as the others e.g. Samsara or Coco, where I did not know where to go with my inexperienced nose. Byzance was different, sweeter, smoother, quieter and more fruity, yet mysterious, sweet and sooo soft, as dark blue as the beautiful bottle. I was also attracted by a special note, today I would guess jasmine and tuberoze with heliotrope and sandalwood, a golden, slightly dry note. All in fine warm creamy not to overcharged alldehydes getuenkt.
Today I own the treasure I didn't even dream of at that time, that I could afford such a luxury, I saved the 200 DM, which I got monthly, like crazy, to send money to my mom in Poland, so that się can finally afford a washing machine. Such a scent lay only in my dreams, was unattainable.
The GDR no longer exists, Berlin has changed, Ku Damm is no longer THE street, Poland has many beautiful perfumeries,..., only my love for Byzannce has remained the same :)
And ideologies?............I always don't like them.

16 Replies

05/26/2018

8.5
Scent 8
Longevity 8
Sillage 10
Bottle

Minigolf

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Minigolf

Privacy in the dressing gown

Or so it seems: In the evening coat after an extensive bath by candlelight to get ready for going out. On a cold November night.
The blue dress with the golden sequins is already laid out, also shoes and corresponding jewellery. There's still time.... for nail varnishing, discreet make-up and.....dreaming.
She pulls the fluffy garment a little tighter around herself and settles down in front of the bedroom mirror.
The operetta is scheduled for today. Wonderful, ...
It's called The Abduction from the Seraglio. After a long time again a "good old piece", not such a modernized "stuff" that lost its whole atmosphere.
No, the decoration is in the "original". Oriental, "dramatic" and lost in dreams.
Only a perfume could be used for this occasion.
There, the round, deep blue bottle with the gold plating over it, which reminds of an ancient coin.
She grabs it meaningfully and carefully operates the spray head..... short 2 times Pfft,,Pfft.... on both wrists, the elbows, the neck, once briefly on the hair.
And HOW this fragrance appeals to her at this moment, she can sniff it.
Mildly spicy opening with lots of clove and cardamom, which remains when the fullness of the flowers appears. Dark rose, such as she grows in her mother's garden, with a touch of green .... Lily of the valley, yaaaa, something powdery, dust-dry, like double "distilled" iris root, and "liquid gold" in the form of jasmine and ylang.
She imagines herself in the "magic garden", as dark woods, patchouli and fresh vanilla are added.
She thinks of "Paul", with whom she will spend an evening in the music theatre after a long time.
She dresses carefully, leaves her dressing gown on the armchair.
Then packs herself into a shimmering, warm quilted coat.
Sniffs pensive... Her doorbell rings Short, long-short. As agreed. That's Paul.
Also it lifts the nose pleased after the greeting kiss.....

3 Replies

04/06/2015

4
Scent 10
Longevity 10
Sillage 10
Bottle

ScentedSalon
96 Reviews

ScentedSalon

Helpful Review 4

Western Byzantium

Byzance is just what you would expect from a scent of this era: a multitude of notes, big bold flavor and the green darkness so common to classic fragrances.

I cannot pull apart its many notes. Let's just say it opens big with dark greens and citruses and develops into an aldehydic lilly of the valley and woody base. It stays linear throughout. Reminds me of so many other perfumes.

I bought it for the name and bottle and will keep it when I am in a vintage mood. It is not the Eastern Byzantium of the Turks but the Western one of the Europeans.

01/02/2014

7
Scent 7.5
Longevity 10
Sillage

Finanna
12 Reviews

Finanna

Helpful Review 5

Old-school elegance

I love the first two hours of Byzance! It reminds me a bit of another long-lost treasure, Guerlain’s Guet-Apens (mixed with Mayotte): opulent swirl of flowers, some incense, spices and amber. Tuberose is the most prominent flower, but in this one it is not animalic or dirty but rather sweet. There is a hint of roses too. But there is no point in trying to dissect the individual notes of this complex harmony, it is much better when enjoyed from your skin.

The flowers get a bit more subdued but they never fade out entirely, although the soapy aldehydes take the main stage during drydown. The last stage of this gorgeous morpher is beautiful, woody floral plushiness that surrounds you like a protective aura.

I do not think that this is dated in any way, but it belongs to a different era of perfumery. Those who do not like the eighties-vibe will not appreciate this. But if you have sniffed sixty-eight modern releases that smell so similar that you cannot remember their names on the next day, this might be the one to revive your nostrils.

The opening is very strong and overall sillage is very good during the entire life span. It literally lasts all day on me. My review is based on a generous sample.

10/19/2013

9
Scent 10
Longevity 10
Sillage 10
Bottle

GothicHeart
87 Reviews

GothicHeart

Helpful Review 5

An Ode to Perfection...

Oh my Sister, oh my Bride,
thou art a garden barriered...
A mystic wave, a fountain sealed...
Thy bosom, there it lies,
a turkish rose heaven...
Fruited and heavy with the most
delightful, scented wonders...
Aye, with heliotrope and musk...
With cardamom and basil...
With every sort of jasmine sighs...
With cedar and with tuberose...
And all the sweetest balsam trees...
Oh fountain of my gardens,
thou art a singing spring
flowing thy lilting path
from the Cappadocian mountains...
Colours of sea, colours of sky
with golden sun embellished...
Constantinople bows with awe
before thy divine beauty...

12/28/2012

Krmarich
24 Reviews

Krmarich

Very helpful Review 7

Sailing to Byzantium

I have an unusual history of Byzance. I found it on closeout in 1992 and gave the bottle to my mother. She couldnt wear it and passed it to a friend. I never had the chance to sample it.

I found a mini today online. The bottle is like those "evil eye" charms so popular in modern Istanbul. Cobalt blue is used all over the Mediterranean basin. It was common to see it on Roman warships. The origin comes from ancient Egypt and the Eye of Horus. Its strange how time changes the meaning of things. Indeed, Byzance is now legendary as its bottle. Its exotic, yet oddly familiar and ever endearing.

I generally find classic tuberose my least favorite note in fragrance. Jardins des Bagatelle is the only way I enjoy it until now. Byzance bursts open with a very vocal aldehyde and tuberose that for the first few minutes, can overwhelm.

Then a voluptuous rose and jasmine note take hold and pulls you in and wont let go. After a few hours, it meanders into a warm, sacred place that your heart will hold dear.

Its really a floriental, yet the catagorization is irrelevant today. Its a little bit of everything, hence its Byzantine character. The complexity ix beyond words.

Rochas was one of the most respected perfume only houses of the 20th century. Indeed Macassar, Mystere, Lumiere, Byzance, Alchemie and Tocade commanded major attention before it all disappeared in 1999. I miss this house the most...

02/06/2012

7
Scent 7.5
Longevity 7.5
Sillage

Missk
1165 Reviews

Missk

Helpful Review 5

An exotic and unfortunately discontinued masterpiece

Byzance is almost the perfect olfactory equivalent to Byzantium, a poem by William Butler Yeats.

It captures the essence of a long lost city, ancient and artistic. Byzance opens with heady florals, exotic spices, zesty lemon and powdery aldehydes. This opening is very strong, very 80's and very me.

Towards the heart, particularly with the entrance of the white florals, Byzance reminds me somewhat of Passion by Annick Goutal. Byzance is however, more powdery and more lemony.

As the heart settles, the florals, most notably the jasmine, become cleaner and slightly soapy. Due to this fragrance's ever-changing nature, I'd say that Byzance is quite complex.

This fragrance is very feminine, without a doubt. However, with that being said, this fragrance is womanly in an old-fashioned, bouquet of flowers, cooking spice and church incense sort of way. Byzance is essentially the scent of a woman from the ancient times - perhaps even the fragrance of Cleopatra herself, if I let myself dream so.

It is a pity that this fragrance is becoming increasingly harder to find these days. I will be truly disappointed if Rochas decide to pull this fragrance from the market.