Treffpunkt 8 Uhr J.F. Schwarzlose Berlin 2012

With a perfume that bears the quirky brand name "Schwarzlose" and the even quirkier product name "Treffpunkt 8 Uhr," I can't resist and become attentive.

Initially, I suspected that it must be a very old brand that still relies on eccentric names from days gone by. And indeed, J.F. Schwarzlose is a former Berlin traditional brand, founded in 1856 and already became the royal supplier to the Berlin court in 1870. Moreover, they soon took over an even older perfume brand, Treu & Nuglisch, founded in 1820. Thus, Schwarzlose is among the oldest German fragrance houses.

There was a golden age particularly in the 1920s until the Second World War, according to the information on the homepage. The original brand was discontinued in 1976. The current company Schwarzlose is therefore a re-establishment from 2012, striving to revive and reinterpret the old tradition.

In the niche perfume market, it is currently trendy to refer to long traditions. We will probably soon witness the relaunch of a perfume from Roman or Chinese antiquity. However, whether these supposedly ancient scents are truly original compositions is still uncertain. Schwarzlose is at least honest in this regard: They speak of reinterpretations of old classics, which likely brings them quite close to the truth. The same applies to many other traditional houses that (unfortunately) adjust their classics from time to time to fit the fashions and current preferences in order to adapt to the ever-changing market. A development that one can lament, yet at times was and is necessary to replace allergenic substances that are medically questionable by today's standards.

As for how Treffpunkt 8 Uhr smelled in its original version, I could have perhaps asked my aunt from Berlin, who passed away two years ago at the age of 98 and experienced the "roaring twenties" in Berlin as a young girl. Unfortunately, the new version of Treffpunkt 8 Uhr came onto the market two years too late for that. We will probably never know more.

So, the only option left is to test the current interpretation of this classic and indulge in the idea that it comes close to the original from the legendary time of the 1920s in Germany. Admittedly, one can easily get lost on the homepage of the current brand, especially with the photos of old brand advertisements showcasing all the classics, such as 1A - 33, the once most famous scent of the house, which I unfortunately have not yet been able to test. In fact, one can truly trace a venerable tradition of the Schwarzlose company seamlessly through the old brand advertising, which is truly impressive. It is actually surprising that no one thought of reviving this traditional house sooner. All the more wonderful that it has now succeeded.

In contrast to back then, when the Schwarzlose company had the brilliant idea of offering perfumes in vending machines (there are also photos of this quirky idea on the homepage), today's products are rather expensive luxury perfumes. Quite a pity. I am waiting for the revival of a brand for the broader market. This could also be a niche that promises economic success.

Back to "Treffpunkt 8 Uhr." Rarely has a scent cost me so much hard work before I liked it. I am currently not at home over the extended New Year's weekend and found, just before I got into the car, a sample delivery in my mailbox. Among them was Schwarzlose's Treffpunkt 8 Uhr. On a whim, I took the four samples with me, consciously forgoing other scents from my collection to immerse myself in these new four fragrances. While the three other scents from different brands were rather disappointing, I immediately got stuck on Treffpunkt 8 Uhr. Although I didn't like it at first, I repeatedly caught myself spraying a little on my wrist to test the scent anew. While my rating initially fluctuated around 50 to 60%, I have now raised it to 80%. Although I am still not entirely sure if it will remain at this fairly high rating, the perfume has slowly enchanted me. Love at second sight, so to speak.

The homepage also speaks of contrasting scent notes but remains silent about the ingredients. So, one can only trust their own nose and refer to the ingredients listed here on Parfumo.

And indeed, one can perceive floral notes without the perfume developing into a typical women's fragrance. The categorization as a unisex scent is certainly accurate and convincing. Since I am not an experienced women's fragrance connoisseur but rather an expert in men's scents, I cannot say for sure if the floral note I perceive is autumn crocus, as mentioned above. It could also be geranium or another, somewhat harsher, less sweet floral note. The effect is somewhat strict, which makes the perfume quite appealing to me as a scent that is also meant for men.

I find the mentions of vetiver and sage convincing. I can clearly perceive the former, and thus a component that is actually typical for men's fragrances remains prominent in the base note.

The ginger could be responsible for a certain spicy sharpness that remains present throughout the entire scent development, but is always pleasantly subtle and never intrusive. A pepper accent could also be conceivable here. In the base note, I also seem to detect a moss component, which would have been quite typical for a perfume of that time. Surely, it is now a substitute for oak moss to avoid the allergenic effects of this wonderful fragrance ingredient.

In the fragrance pyramid above, we also read about mango blossoms. In my opinion, it is even the fruit itself that shines through the scent impression, a fruity note that is very pleasant and wonderfully rounds off the fragrance.

This description already makes it clear that Treffpunkt 8 Uhr is not a scent that strives for harmony at all costs. Rather, scent accents are intertwined that create strong contrasts, making the exploration of this fragrance quite challenging. It is actually a bold decision, perhaps indeed due to the fact that the original scent from the 1920s also depicted these contrasts; certainly evoked by other, more common scent notes of that time, but perhaps already here through the contrast of a certain spicy sharpness and softer, albeit harsher floral scents. Who knows?

In any case, getting to know and now also loving this scent has cost me a hard piece of work. Not necessarily a compliment for a perfume. On the other hand, it is often precisely those scents that do not immediately please us because they do not want to be pleasing and popular that we then cling to for a lifetime.

I will continue to give Schwarzlose's Treffpunkt 8 Uhr a chance, perhaps even acquire a bottle, because the hard work must have paid off somehow.