شموخ or Shumukh (Shoe-mookh) in English translates to ‘Deserving of the Highest.” It is precisely that.
Sheer skilled artistry has created a magnificently decorative piece of perfumery history. One that is to be shown off for its utterly eye-catching lavish construction.
The finest of jewels and gemstones are encrusted into materials of striking gold, silver & leather. An accumulation of three liters worth of rare fragrance ingredients is captured into an electric remote-controlled perfume pump.
Through trial and error, Shumukh has come to be.
Enter the world of the most expensive perfume known to man, Shumukh.
The Spirit of Dubai’s Shumukh is the most lavish unisex perfume on the market, absurdly priced at AED 4.752 million or 1.295 million USD. The bottle is adorned in diamond-encrusted figures symbolizing the oil-rich country of the United Arab Emirates and weighs in at 3 liters of practical liquid gold.
The Spirit of Dubai
Nabeel Perfumes is behind their new luxury perfumery line venture, The Spirit of Dubai.
The Emirati perfume house Nabeel Perfumes was initially founded in Yemen in 1969. The CEO, Asghar Ada Ali Al Attar, offers the best Arabian quality of deeply penetrating ouds and innovative packaging. The business has flourished since its conception partially due to its motivating motto, “Be Daring, Be First, Be Different.”
The Spirit of Dubai perfumes is “inspired by ‘Dubai’ – a city that embraces a wide variety of scenery, captivating contrasts of ancient tradition and the luxuries of a cosmopolitan society.”
The world-class, masterfully formulated TSOD fragrances were created by the genius Chairman perfumer behind Nabeel Perfumes, Asghar Adam Ali (Al Attar).
He first created 15 scents for the brand labeled, ‘First Generation.’ Each concept is attributed to the City of Dubai, from the skyline towers to clear water shore beaches to the wealthy socialites. The second launch came as the ‘Second Generation’ still an ode to the City of Dubai but for its utmost unique luxury and creativity.
Shumukh Perfume
Standing at over 6 ft 5.55 in or 1.97 m, the pedestal holds a 3 liter filled bottle of its finely formulated concoction that sprays and adjusts height on demand by a specialized remote control.
The scent took over three years to perfect, with 494 perfume trials to contrive.
Its superior natural ingredients were sourced “from the furthest corners of the globe” to come into a culmination of an “unforgettable…mesmerizing” fragrance with notes of Amber, Sandalwood, Musk, “rare pure” Indian Agarwood, “pure” Turkish Rose, Ylang-Ylang, Patchouli, and Frankincense.
Estimated longevity is supposedly more than 12 hours on the skin.
Cost to Construct
The “epitome of luxury” grouped renowned artisans from the furthest lands of France, Italy, and Switzerland to masterfully craft the award-winning Shumukh design.
Gems and Jewels
The IGI and GIA-certified 3,571 Diamonds are equivalent to 38.55 carats. If we were to calculate the price of what 38.55 carats would cost, lowballing at 2,500 USD per carat, the total dollar amount would come to at least 96 375 USD.
The summed grams of 2479.26 of 18k Gold would equal 106, 498.32 USD as of 2022.
A drastic downturn is seen in the silver price, equating to 4, 421.91 USD for 5892.88 grams.
Just by eyeballing the size of the rare Swiss Topaz vaulted in Gold, the singular gem would have to range from 75 000 USD to over 125 000 USD with all dimensions, specs, and clarity counting.
South Sea Filipino pearls are one of the rarest cultured pearl varieties on the market today. Their large size grows to 20 mm, and scantiness raises selling prices by more than 100 000 USD.
Leather
The leather upholstered inside and out to the perfume’s shell is assumingly Italian. Italy is renowned for its premium leather and was mentioned as one country that was outsourced for craftsmanship.
Calculating 6 ft 5.55 m into yards would sustain to 2.183. Four sides would compose a number of 8.732 yards or 157.176 sq ft. Judging by an estimate, the leather may cost anywhere from 8 USD to 25 USD a foot. The price for leather alone may range from 1 500 USD to 4 500 USD depending on the grade of leather.
Hand-sewn patterns into the upholstered leather would be an additional cost, most likely into the thousands for the artisanship.
Perfume Ingredients
Rare Indian Agarwood is wholesale priced from ₹ 19, 000 to ₹ 40 000 Indian Rupees, equal to nearly 300 USD to 500 USD for a single gram to kg.
Turkish Rose is of the finest quality and is considered “one of the most expensive materials in the world.” Something discussed in our Chloe [Hyperlink] article post. We can only imagine the price of a small vile marketed into the triple digits.
Amber, Sandalwood, Musk, Ylang-Ylang, Patchouli, and Frankincense are easy to come by.
Final Total
Everything that could be estimated; ingredients, craftsmanship, and materials were looking at the lowest of 415 000 USD to 500 000 USD, possibly higher.
Mr. Asghar Ali most likely has many connections to acquire such items at a lower price point or purchased in wholesale bulk. The total cost could vary widely.
The Landing Page
When entering The Spirit of Dubai website, the top left tab reads, Shumukh.
Clicking Shumukh, you’re rerouted to the fragrance’s website, where a stunning voiced-over videography short story is played.
The soothing voice-over of a man initiates at the start of the video’s beginnings, inviting you into the lavish world of Shumukh.
“Our story begins with the hint of a subtle fragrance carried by the warm desert winds to the sea.” The scripted voice states as we see a man of Arabian descent standing near the tip of his small vessel adorned in gas lanterns, staring off into the distance with a decorative telescope in hand.
A quick transition happens.
Hovering over the golden Abu Dhabi sand dunes, a tenderly bold woman’s voice overshadows, chiming,” I am the spirit of Dubai.” Her crisp wispy voice continues, “and this is Dubai Baha. Come with me, explorer, and experience the wonder of wonders,” where we once again see the same man posed at the tip of the wooden craft, looking onward without his telescope. A wide shot of the calm waters of the river is surrounded by greenery, and behind the flora, Pakistani-like mountains tower over, enveloping the sky.
Next, glimpses of Shumukh’s features are described vivaciously in tone. Captivating your attention to every detail bestowed upon the pearl facet, “Durra possesses a shell crafted from white gold and enclosed in waves fashioned from yellow gold. It opens up to reveal a precious Philippine South Sea golden pearl lying on a bed of mother-of-pearl.”
Succeeding to the crafted shell, pictured is the man crossing the dunes with his custom cane at dusk. Camera angles shoot many meters above him and down to his foot level. He rests atop the dune to a falcon flying towards him, finally landing on his hand.
The same falcon is modeled in 18k gold. It is Accessorized with dozens of diamonds from the falcon’s crown to the tips of its wings. During the rotation sequence of the falcon, showcasing all its glorious detail, the woman breathes life into the figure, expressing, “Bazzi, recreated in exquisite lifelike detail with his majestic elegance, folded wings and formidable talons in gold.”
Dusk falls upon the lavish city of Dubai amidst wide-angled shots over the bay, and tranquil stringed instruments play as background music. The towers are illuminated by the sun’s dimmed light. Pictured there, the unnamed man walks towards the city with his same cane.
A voice-over ensues during the next hallmark’s demonstration of Shumukh’s earth globe detail. “Aamal is portrayed as a blue glow positioned on a pedestal sculpted from rare Swiss blue topaz with debye defined by a stunning half-carat diamond.”
Following comes a cut to the man in a sequence of scenes that follow, first petting an Arabian horse’s nose bridge as the dusk sun casts light upon both silhouettes. Shortly, horse and man walk alongside one another on a dirt path as the orange sun begins to dip under the soil. Triumphally the man mounts the back of his stallion, exuding a bladed Seif from his side, celebratorily raising it into the air as the horse neighs in an airborne pose.
Proudly, the same horse is encapsulated in the same air-bound pose in 18k gold. Similarly contrived as the famous ‘Napoleon Crossing the Alps’ oil painting. Commenting over the video, her expert tone of voice notes that the horse is “immortalized in pure gold, Abjar, intricately designed with lifelike features that include the glorious mane and tail with eyes fashioned from black diamonds.”
For the final time, the anonymous man stands in the mid-day desert dunes. Fixating his attention off-camera on the mighty AED Oceana roaring onto the shore, disintegrating the sand in its wake. He holds what looks to be a sundial in his right hand, directing him perfectly to a spot where he kneels to reveal from the sand a deeply bronzed golden box. Its withholdings are glittery black rosebuds.
Cut to a singular encircling camera shot; a diamond-encrusted rose gold rosebud flashes alongside its prickly golden stem. The disembodied feminine voice states the rose is “crafted from rose gold, Narjesi appears as a rose in full bloom with diamond-encrusted petals and a curved stem.”
Shown is the protagonist male overlooking a golden Arabian palace standing over an indoor rail, examining the details of the immense diamond chandeliers.
The next component to Shumukh is the 2D triangular diamond detail recited as “dawned on three sides by Haibah an unimaginably priceless treasure and crusted with diamonds and framed with white gold, Haibah is an all-inspiring sight.”
Incense blows into the wind as the gentleman saunders past, revealing the almost colosseum-type structural tower built onto the perfume bottle, “recreating the architectural splendor of the house of Legends d1 is crafted from gold with pillars sculpted from original Italian Carrara marble.”
The grand finale displays dozens of revolving angles, and the camera cuts flaunting the perfume in its leather upholstered 1.97-meter tall case.
“As generations come and go, Shumukh remains an eternal, ever-changing canvas capturing the beauty of life around us, portraying the grandeur of ancient dynasties and future eras. Shumukh is a window into the soul of Dubai chosen for their extraordinary skill and sense of wonder; artisans and jewelers from France and Italy work together to craft some more blended and distilled into an essence to capture an eternal fragrance with rare natural ingredients. The magnum opus from the spirit of Dubai by Nabil; Shumukh.
More Detail
As divulged on the landing page, “Shumukh adorned by 3,571 diamonds, gold, silver, pearls, and topaz. Seven key elements of Dubai are showcased on a 1.97-meter-tall masterpiece, combining artistry, perfumery, and jewelry. Multiple Guinness World Record holding perfume.”
The bottle and placeholder are professed to “unite the art of jewelry and perfumery to create a one-of-a-kind masterpiece that tells the tale of the great Emirate through seven core design elements.”
Tributing Dubai, the story of the perfume exhibits seven key elements; Durra – Pearl Diving, Baz – Falconry, Abjar – Arabian Horses, Narjesi – Rose, Haibah – Luxury, Diwan – Arabian hospitality, and Aamal – Dubai’s stature as a ‘city of the future.’
The 2019 perfume is “the world’s most expensive and luxurious unisex perfume” and “is valued at AED 4.752 million /US $ 1.295 million.”
Final Word
Indeed, this has to be the most outrageously expensive perfume you’ve ever heard of.
I don’t know how any perfumery could top this unless they used Panda fur as upholstery and Michael Jackson’s vialed sweat as one of the main scent ingredients.
I’m joking.
But my point is, it would have to be outrageous and, dare I say (more) tacky.
Wishful thinking is to list the 3 liters of liquidized oil at the top of your will and consider it a family heirloom. Fifty years from now, this fragrance and its incredible design will most likely discontinue or opt for a revamp, and when that happens, prices will skyrocket.
The artistry is reminiscent of 19th-century music/ singing boxes or Fabergé eggs that were exclusively made for royals or the wealthy.
It’s not something you keep in your bedroom closet and casually spritz on yourself with your remote control. This thing needs to be displayed in an exclusive area in your massive mansion foyer with a spotlight over it! It’s purely designed to be shown off.
