When is a fragrance collection great?

I've never been one to aim for greatness in my hobbies, doing my very best and making sure I enjoy the process has proved to often be good enough to justify how I spend my leisure time and resources. Thus in my approach to collecting fragrances, I have done the same- set my objectives for what I ultimately want, and rules to guide my decisions in accumulating what is (let's be honest with ourselves) a luxury, not a need.

Lately I've seen quite a lot of rants/ spilling the tea/ bursting the bubble/ exposing the dark side YouTube videos and fragrance blogs, all bewailing what to me is a rather simple problem. Like one examines loose fruit in the supermarket before making a choice, I would like for you to consider an aspect of the problem being discussed on several platforms, with me- the need or perhaps better put, the pursuit of a 'great' fragrance collection. Dear reader, what to you, makes a fragrance collection great?

If you had asked me this question two years ago, influenced by a form of flex culture in collecting, my answer would have been naïve at best. I'd have retorted, "A great collection is one that houses discontinued/ vintage/ first edition perfumes, or a large catalogue of niche, designer and affordable fragrances. Perhaps even a collection that could serve as a museum of sorts." Now, my answer would not have been wrong, only biased. Was greatness then something that could only be achieved by those advanced in years in the hobby or who had spent a lifetime amassing weird and wonderful fragrances?

Shall we move on to a year ago and examine what my answer would've been? Influenced by the many tempting videos on YouTube and being in possession of over 50 bottles of fragrances, my answer would've been along the lines of greatness is directly proportionate to the number of varied bottles you own.

Again, let's take a step back into time, will 6 months ago suffice? I was living a nomadic lifestyle of sorts, having ported a few full bottles of fragrance with me for my months of rootlessness in travel. In that period of life, I would've insisted that a great collection is one where you are intimately aware of every single bottle of scent in your collection. One you can discuss their behaviours in all seasons, one so carefully curated that you could not bear to part with any.

And here we are in September 2023 and I think I finally have an answer that I am satisfied with. Before you read it, could you tell me in the comments section what your definition of a great collection is, at this point in your life and collecting journey?

Alas, we reach the end of my ponderings. Can we agree to disagree and laugh about how different people approach life in different ways? And will you understand me if I say that a collection is only great when you, the collector, says it's great. And until you do, 'greatness' will always be that milestone 'just ahead' that you never quite seem to reach.