Nobile 1942- Pontevecchio W

Nobile 1942 perfumes are new to Luckyscent but they've been around for a while. In fact, Elena of Perfume Shrine reviewed Pontevecchio W in 2007 and found this perfume to be worthy of its romantic Florentine name.  Pontevecchio W is an iris perfume, but different than most fragrances built around this note. In fact, Nobile 1942 managed to actually evoke the elegant flower while using orris butter from its rhizomes.

Pontevecchio W, named after the bridge crossing the Arno river in Florence, is pale powder and sheer petals. It feels more French than Italian to me, as Florence to my memory was leather, incense and stone. Then again, I only visited the city in early fall, so what do I know? Pontevecchio W develops slowly from delicate and sweet citrus to crocheted lacy flowers. There are no sharp edges, no quick turns, the flowers are pale pink and hazy purple, almost dream-like in the way they envelope the wearer.

Nobile 1942's ode to Florence is clean and a little soapy. It's so nice and easy to wear that had I been a different person I'd probably desperately want a full bottle of Pontevecchio W and wear it every day from late spring to the end of summer. I'd relish the way sweet mandarin orange still hangs to the skin under the rose and jasmine notes, making them more lively before it melds with the light sweet musk and the serene ambery dry-down. But I'm not that person. I appreciate the beauty of Pontevecchio W and the confident craftsmanship that created it. I dabbed and sprayed the content of several samples and had fun with it. But in the end, I got bored. My Florence is not as ethereal and not as clean. I think I'm due for a visit.

Notes (from Luckyscent):
Bergamot, mandarin, coriander seeds, Florentine iris, Bulgarian rose, jasmine, white musk, amber, sandalwood, aromatic woods.

Pontevecchio W ($135, 75ml EDP) is available from Luckyscent.

Photo: Ponte Vecchio, Florence, by Diaaavelo on fickr.