Aquatic

The aquatic accord was effectively invented in the late 1980s and popularized through Davidoff's Cool Water (1988) and Acqua di Gio (1996). These fragrances used a synthetic molecule called calone to capture the smell of fresh seawater, watermelon rind, and wet sea breeze. It was a scent that had never existed in fine fragrance before and instantly became a defining aesthetic of a generation.

Modern aquatics range from salty and mineral (evoking tidal pools and sea spray) to ozonic and airy (capturing the clean smell above the ocean) to tropical and fruity (pairing aquatic notes with coconut and white florals for a beach-vacation character). Hedione, dihydromyrcenol, ambroxan, and various marine molecules are the building blocks of this distinctly modern accord.

Aquatic fragrances are among the best-selling in the world and a perennial favorite for warm-weather wear. Fans of aquatic scents often love ozonic, fresh, marine, and green accords.