Trends

When perfume comes in a jeweled bottle… and becomes a little treasure

From Greek alabastrons to the glass bottles we know today, perfume containers have always been cherished objects. Their design reflects trends, technical innovations, and the sensibility of each era.

And while it is the scent that makes us fall in love with a fragrance, it is often the bottle that captures our attention at first glance.

A journey through the history of perfume told through its perfume bottles

In the ancient world, perfume was stored in vessels: ointments in Egyptian alabaster, perfumed oils in Greek containers such as aryballos, alabastrons, lekythos and pelikai, and blown glass in Rome, which made lighter, more transparent bottles accessible to more people.

The Renaissance marked a turning point: bottles stopped being mere containers and began reflecting a house's values. Murano workshops and porcelain manufactories created jewel-like flacons for Europe's royal courts.

In the 19th century, industrialisation and the rise of brands such as Guerlain and Penhaligon's led to the first bottles designed specifically for a fragrance. In the early 20th century, collaborations with artists like Lalique cemented the modern aesthetics of the perfume bottle, now a cultural icon and a key tool of communication and marketing.

What is a jeweled bottle?

A jeweled bottle is one whose design transforms the fragrance into a precious object: cut crystal, enamelled glass, metallic details, inlays or sculptural caps that evoke fine jewellery rather than traditional packaging.

From Baccarat crystal to Nina Ricci's iconic L'Air du Temps, with its intertwined doves, these designs become emotional talismans – pieces to collect, keep, and even pass down. Choosing a jeweled bottle is choosing the feeling of owning a small treasure, a miniature work of art filled with history and beauty.

A jewellery bottle is one whose design turns the fragrance into a precious object.

2025 perfumes with jeweled bottles

Recent launches confirm that many contemporary bottles follow the codes of the jeweled bottle, seducing through both design and scent.

La Bomba, by Carolina Herrera, is perhaps 2025's most explicit example: a faceted, asymmetrical butterfly created by Pochet du Courval, conceived as a high-jewellery object for the dressing table.

Serpentine, by Roberto Cavalli, turns the house's serpent emblem into a sensual, curved bottle encircled by a golden snake that detaches and becomes a bracelet.

Zadig, by Zadig & Voltaire, features wings caught mid-flight, and the bottle is refillable.

With Audace by Rochas, powerful femininity takes shape in a bottle inspired by the bold, glamorous silhouette of the female form.

Juicy Couture refreshes its decorative aesthetic with Just Moi, which keeps the brand's signature charms and bows in a sleeker, more minimalist interpretation.

The glossy red apple of Nina Ricci's Nina Rouge Crush becomes a tempting fetish object, instantly recognisable and exclusive.

Marc Jacobs' Perfect line becomes more opulent in Perfect Absolute, with a deep-burgundy bottle and a cap that resembles an exquisite piece of jewellery.

Jean Paul Gaultier's iconic Classique takes its bottle-bust into even more baroque territory in the Divine edition, amplifying its luxurious, jewel-like character.

Finally, Carolina Herrera's Very Good Girl Elixir dresses the brand's most coveted stiletto bottle in a red and black gradient.