Amber by Charbert c1936

Amber by Charbert, launched in 1936, emerged at a time when perfumery was undergoing a bold transformation—modern, glamorous, and increasingly experimental. The name “Amber” was a deliberate choice, rooted in perfumery tradition yet evocative of something timeless, sensual, and exotic. The word amber derives from the Arabic ‘anbar’, meaning ambergris, a prized and mysterious substance excreted by sperm whales and found floating in the sea or washed ashore. The term later came to be associated not just with the ingredient ambergris, but with a warm, resinous scent family that evoked golden light, plush velvet, and sultry evenings.

For Charbert, Amber wasn’t just a name—it was a concept steeped in allure. Their marketing described it as “worldly, wicked, wonderful… the perfume for night life,” highlighting its appeal to the sophisticated, confident woman. The fragrance’s sultry, musky warmth promised intrigue and sensuality, setting the stage for flirtation and glamour. Its tagline—“Deep, exciting musky scent that guarantees high voltage come-hither looks”—speaks directly to its intended effect: hypnotic, magnetic, and unforgettable.

The 1930s in America was a decade of contradiction—post-Depression austerity clashed with Hollywood escapism. Women, inspired by silver screen sirens, embraced elegance and femininity. Evening wear featured sleek satin gowns, sculpted silhouettes, and dazzling accessories. Perfume, then, was not merely an accessory—it was an extension of mood and persona. A fragrance named Amber would have conjured images of candlelit cabarets, warm skin against silk, and the slow-burning seduction of a jazz age holdover refined by modern sophistication.

Charbert’s Amber was part of a long tradition of amber-based perfumes, a category beloved throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. Nearly every major perfumery offered its own interpretation—built around a basic formula structure combining ambergris, resins, musks, and floral inflections. The uniqueness came in how perfumers manipulated these elements: removing or substituting ingredients, tweaking proportions, or incorporating rare notes to give the blend a signature identity.

By the time Charbert introduced Amber in 1936, perfumery had begun to embrace modernity through the increasing use of synthetic aroma chemicals. These innovations didn’t replace the magic of naturals like ambergris or benzoin—but enhanced them. Synthetics could amplify the radiance of musks, extend the wear of vanillic resins, or lend transparency to dense balsams. Charbert’s formulation was a sophisticated blend of both natural extracts and modern synthetics—harnessing the luxurious depth of true ambergris while benefiting from the diffusive warmth of lab-created amber notes like Ambroxan, vanillin, or coumarin.

For the woman of 1936, Amber would have felt thrillingly cosmopolitan—less a powdery whisper and more a sultry purr. It was a perfume of the evening, of nightclubs and candlelight, of whispered secrets and stolen glances. At a time when perfume was becoming an emblem of self-expression, Amber by Charbert made a bold, unapologetically feminine statement. While not entirely unique in theme—amber fragrances were a well-loved tradition—its lush marketing, era-appropriate sensuality, and updated formulation gave it a modern, electric flair that stood out on perfume counters of the day.

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? Amber by Charbert is classified as an oriental (currently called amber fragrances) fragrance for women.

• Top notes: Calabrian bergamot, Sicilian neroli, Jamaican nutmeg, Zanzibar cloves
• Middle notes: Riviera carnation, Peruvian heliotrope, Tunisian orange blossom
• Base notes: Java vetiver, Malaysian patchouli, Tyrolean oakmoss, Sudanese myrrh, Sumatran styrax, Mexican vanilla, vanillin, Venezuelan tonka bean, coumarin, Siam benzoin, Maltese labdanum, Mysore sandalwood, ambergris, Indian musk ambrette, Ambreine, Tonkin musk, musk ketone

Scent Profile:

To experience Amber by Charbert is to be wrapped in a luxurious, incandescent veil—one stitched from rare botanicals, warm resins, and the hypnotic pull of natural and synthetic musks. As a classic oriental fragrance—now more commonly called amber—it unfolds like a velvet curtain, slowly revealing layer upon layer of rich sensuality and golden warmth.

The fragrance opens with the sunlit zest of Calabrian bergamot, sparkling and citrusy, offering a bright, aromatic greeting. Bergamot from Calabria, Italy is prized for its complexity—its crisp lemony sharpness is softened by floral nuances and a slight herbaceous bite, unlike the flatter citruses grown in less temperate climates. This citrus burst is joined by the luminous neroli from Sicily, distilled from bitter orange blossoms. Sicilian neroli is cherished for its delicate green-floral character, tinged with honey and dew, like a fresh orchard breeze at dawn. These fresh top notes are pierced by the spiced edge of Jamaican nutmeg, warm and almost boozy, lending depth and a slightly sweet, dusty warmth. Then comes the clove from Zanzibar—a pungent, slightly smoky note that brings an exotic, peppery tension, echoing the spice trade routes that inspired many early amber perfumes.

The heart of the perfume blooms into a lush and spicy floral accord. Riviera carnation dominates—clove-like and fiery, but softened by its green leafy facets, its spice woven seamlessly into the cloves and nutmeg from the top. Heliotrope from Peru lends a tender, powdery warmth, evoking almond pastries and soft suede, with a vanillic thread that hints at what’s to come. A golden trail of Tunisian orange blossom runs through the center—a rich, heady floral that is at once narcotic and radiant. Tunisian blossoms are especially creamy and opulent, their aroma thick with honeyed pollen and a subtle green tartness that keeps the sweetness from becoming cloying.

As the base emerges, the fragrance deepens dramatically. Java vetiver provides an earthy backbone—its smoky, woody greenness anchoring the lighter florals above. Java-grown vetiver is more robust and resinous than its Haitian cousin, ideal for a darker composition. Malaysian patchouli, aged for depth, reveals its deep chocolatey earthiness with hints of damp forest floor. Tyrolean oakmoss contributes a rich mossy nuance—its slightly salty, leathery texture grounding the sweetness. The incense-like Sudanese myrrh adds a balsamic, slightly bitter edge, followed by the leathery smoke of Sumatran styrax and the warm, molasses-thick Siam benzoin, both resins that bring glow and viscosity to the base.

The composition becomes even more seductive with Mexican vanilla—spicy, dark, and almost animalic compared to the sweeter, bakery-like vanillas grown elsewhere. The richness of vanillin, a synthetic compound that mimics the primary aroma molecule in natural vanilla, amplifies this warmth and enhances projection. Venezuelan tonka bean contributes its own creamy tobacco-vanilla complexity, further sweetened by coumarin, which smells of new-mown hay and almonds. The interplay of natural tonka and coumarin (its synthetic isolate) balances both sweetness and texture. Maltese labdanum, with its warm, leathery amber note, mingles with Mysore sandalwood, whose legendary creamy, milky wood aroma rounds out the base. Mysore sandalwood, now rare, is distinguished by its mellow, lingering depth—unlike the harsher sandalwoods grown elsewhere.

Then there are the musks: Indian ambrette seed gives a vegetal muskiness with fruity facets, serving as a natural precursor to musk. Ambreine, a synthetic musk derived from labdanum, amplifies the amber aspect, lending longevity and a crystalline warmth. Tonkin musk and musk ketone, both synthetic, add an animalic undertone that hums quietly beneath the rest, mimicking the sensual pulse of skin. And anchoring it all is the mythical ambergris—salty, marine, soft, and radiant. Whether natural or interpreted through aroma chemicals like Ambroxan, it lends the perfume a diffusive, glowing aura.

Amber by Charbert is not a linear fragrance—it smolders, breathes, and evolves. Each note unfolds like a chapter in a story, from bright citrus and spice to lush florals, finally descending into a rich and ancient blend of woods, resins, and musks. It is a scent designed not just to be worn, but to be experienced—at once elegant, carnal, mysterious, and completely timeless.

Fate of the Fragrance:

Discontinued, date unknown.