Thameen London: Perfumes Like Crown Jewels
The Hope Diamond lies in Washington, the Regent in the Louvre, and the Florentine has been missing since the end of the Habsburg monarchy. And yet today you can wear all three – as perfume. Thameen from London names its fragrances after the world's most famous jewels and bottles almost all of them as Extrait de Parfum. Behind the house there is no perfumer but a son who wanted to build a monument to his father. Who is behind Thameen, which story does each scent tell – and where should you start?
- Who: Thameen was founded in London in 2013 by Basel Binjabr as a tribute to his late father, a passionate perfume collector.
- The name: “Thameen” is Arabic and means “precious”.
- The idea: every scent is dedicated to a legendary gemstone, pearl or crown jewel. Most are extraits with, according to the founder, mostly 35 per cent perfume oil.
- Where to start: Peregrina for floral warmth, Amber Room for spice and amber, or straight away the Treasure discovery set with twelve scents.
Who is behind Thameen London?
Basel Binjabr did not come from the perfume industry but from investment. His love of scent was inherited: his father collected perfumes, loved rose oils and, according to Binjabr, treated his bottles like jewellery. As a child he accompanied him to fragrance markets. After his father's death he decided to found a house of his own – built on exactly that thought: perfume as a jewel.
The beginning wasn't easy. In an interview with The Luxury Bulletin, Binjabr recalls that renowned perfumers initially declined to work with a newcomer. Today things are different: he sets a main ingredient, the perfumers deliver variations over almost a year, and every finished scent undergoes about six months of stability testing.
Basel Binjabr
Investor, collector's son and jewel enthusiast. According to Parfumo his favourite stone is the deep-blue Hope Diamond, and you can see it in the bottles: the house is known for its blue flacons.
Founded in London in 2013, according to Hunger Magazine in Knightsbridge.
Great noses, changing signatures
Thameen works without a fixed in-house perfumer. According to Fragrantica and Parfumo, perfumers who have composed for the house include:
- Maurice Roucel
- Sophie Labbé
- Nathalie Lorson
- Jordi Fernández
- Bruno Jovanovic
- Pierre Negrin, Alexandra Carlin, Pierre-Constantin Guéros
What does Thameen mean – and which collections are there?
“Thameen” means “precious” in Arabic, and the house takes the name literally. On its website it describes its scents as treasures inspired by the world's most precious jewels and rarest materials. The main lines:
- Treasure Collection: the heart of the house. Extraits named after legendary diamonds, pearls and treasures, from The Hope to Peregrina.
- Sovereign Collection: inspired by the British crown jewels. It launched in 2018 with Diadem, Sceptre and Imperial Crown; Royal Sapphire, Insignia, Coronet and Cullinan Diamond followed later.
- The Britologne: since 2023 a tribute to Britain and eau de cologne, described as “Cologne Elixir”.
- Regal Collection: Regal Musk, Regal Oud and Regal Rose, each built around one material.
Which jewels are hidden in the scents?
This is where it gets exciting, because behind almost every name lies a real piece of world history. A selection of the scents you'll find with us:
| Scent | The inspiration | Character | Fragrantica |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peregrina (2019) | The famous pearl of the Spanish kings, later a gift from Richard Burton to Elizabeth Taylor | Rose, gardenia, jasmine, vanilla, myrrh, amber | 4.13 / 5 (867 votes) |
| Amber Room (2013) | The Amber Room, once in the Catherine Palace near Saint Petersburg | Amber, Turkish rose, spices, coriander, cedar, bergamot | 4.12 / 5 (305 votes) |
| Coronet (2025) | The crown as a symbol of the Sovereign Collection | Cypress, juniper, rose, sage, frankincense, oud | 4.36 / 5 (76 votes) |
| Blue Heart (2022) | The Blue Heart Diamond | Saffron, coconut, iris, vanilla, tonka, musk | 3.91 / 5 (513 votes) |
| Peacock Throne (2013) | The Peacock Throne of the Mughal rulers; according to Fragrantica inspired by the Koh-i-Noor | Iris, pink pepper, jasmine, Taif rose, patchouli, vanilla | 3.89 / 5 (211 votes) |
| The Hope | The Hope Diamond, 45.52 carats, deep blue | Spices, wood and amber around a resinous heart | – |
| Regent Leather (2016) | The Regent Diamond, today in the Louvre | Lemon, saffron, cardamom, rose, jasmine, leather, vanilla | – |
| Florentine Diamond | The yellow Florentine, jewel of the Medici and later the Habsburgs | Cocoa, mandarin, tuberose, creamy and sweet | – |
Years, notes and ratings according to Fragrantica (as of 20 October 2026) where available; otherwise according to product information. Where no rating could be verified, we show none.
Peregrinafloral-amberfrom €220
Amber Roomspicy-amberfrom €220
Carved Oudspicy-woodyfrom €240
Coronetresinous · frankincense€300
Prices according to the 4D OUTFITTERS webshop, as of 20 October 2026. Displayed prices update automatically from the shop.
Peregrina: the pearl that travelled the world
According to Fragrantica, when the Peregrina was discovered almost 500 years ago it was considered the largest pearl ever found. It belonged to Spanish queens, passed through the British aristocracy and finally ended up with Elizabeth Taylor. The scent is suitably glamorous: Damask rose, gardenia and jasmine over a warm bed of vanilla, myrrh and amber. With more than 860 ratings and 4.13 points, it is the crowd favourite among the Thameen scents on Fragrantica.
Amber Room: spices for the eighth wonder of the world
The Amber Room in the Catherine Palace was called the eighth wonder of the world, disappeared in the Second World War and was only reconstructed decades later. Thameen's version is one of the house's first scents from 2013: bergamot and coriander at the start, Turkish rose and spices in the heart, amber and cedar as the foundation. An autumn scent straight out of a picture book.
Carved Oud and Coronet: wood and frankincense
Carved Oud, according to the brand, relies on oud from southern India with cardamom, pink pepper and cypress. Coronet from the Sovereign Collection is the house's newest crown: cypress and juniper open, rose and sage give structure, frankincense, smoke and oud carry it. Binjabr links the scent to Omani frankincense, and Fragrantica rates it a strong 4.36 points. If you love frankincense, you'll also find Royal Sapphire and the other crown jewels of the Sovereign line with us.
Why are almost all Thameen scents extraits?
Binjabr is clear: his scents are Extraits de Parfum, in most cases with a 35 per cent concentration. On its website the house promises “rich concentration” and exceptional longevity. For comparison, an Eau de Parfum is usually well below that. What this means in practice, we explain in Eau de Toilette, Eau de Parfum or Extrait. And why an extrait unfolds in tiers on the skin is shown in our guide to the fragrance pyramid.
According to Binjabr, Thameen was expected to sell ten bottles in its first week at Selfridges in London. On the first day it sold 15. In August 2019, by his account, 400 bottles went over the counter in a single day.
Curiosities about Thameen
Diamonds, crowns and a pearl with a world career
- A Florentine with a Vienna connection
For centuries the yellow Florentine Diamond belonged to the Habsburg treasury. After the end of the monarchy in 1918 its trail goes cold. As a perfume, however, it can be found at our shop in Bregenz any time.
- Blue out of love
According to Parfumo, Basel Binjabr's favourite gemstone is the Hope Diamond. The blue bottles are a bow to it. Why the Hope is blue in the first place, read in our article TW-si, VS, Brilliant: What Diamond Abbreviations Mean.
- The pearl in Hollywood
Richard Burton gave Elizabeth Taylor the Peregrina pearl. Thameen turned it into one of the house's most popular scents.
- Marilyn Monroe's diamond
Thameen has also released a scent called Moon of Baroda, named after the yellow diamond Marilyn Monroe wore in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”.
- A crown with 2,100 stones
The scent Kiani is dedicated to the Persian Kiani Crown of 1796, which according to Fragrantica is set with 300 emeralds and 1,800 rubies.
- A year for one scent
According to the founder, almost a year of development goes into a Thameen scent, plus six months of stability testing.
- Founded: 2013 in London by Basel Binjabr.
- Range: Parfumo lists 53 scents with a known release year, most of them (eight) from 2022.
- Community: on Parfumo the brand averages 7.7 out of 10 points from 3,356 ratings (as of 20 October 2026).
- Most frequent notes according to Parfumo: amber (36 %), patchouli (34 %), vanilla (30 %), musk (28 %) and sandalwood (25 %).
- Distribution: according to the founder, Thameen is now available in around 50 countries at some 300 locations, including Selfridges and Harrods.
Frequently asked questions about Thameen
Where is Thameen from?
Thameen is a British niche perfume house from London, founded in 2013 by Basel Binjabr.
What does the name Thameen mean?
Thameen is an Arabic word meaning “precious”. Fittingly, the scents are named after famous jewels.
Which Thameen scent is the most popular?
On Fragrantica, Peregrina has the most ratings among the scents we carry, with more than 860 votes and 4.13 out of 5 points. Coronet achieves the highest average with 4.36 points.
Are Thameen perfumes extraits?
Yes, according to the founder the scents are Extraits de Parfum, mostly with 35 per cent perfume oil. This makes for plenty of depth and good longevity.
What is the difference between the Treasure and Sovereign Collections?
The Treasure Collection is dedicated to famous diamonds, pearls and treasures. The Sovereign Collection is inspired by the British crown jewels, with scents such as Royal Sapphire, Insignia and Coronet.
Can I try Thameen first?
Yes. With every fragrance order at 4D OUTFITTERS you receive a sample of the ordered scent and can choose up to four more free samples via the order note. Discovery sets are also available, or you can test the scents in our boutique in Bregenz.
Smell first, then fall in love
A house full of jewels is best explored piece by piece. With every fragrance order we include a sample of exactly the scent you ordered, so you can get to know it before opening the bottle. Via the order note in your cart you can also request up to four more free samples, for example Peregrina, Amber Room, Carved Oud and Coronet. If you'd rather open the whole treasury at once, choose the Treasure Collection Box with twelve 10 ml scents or the Sovereign Collection Box. Shipping is free from €200.
Or visit us at our boutique in Bregenz and experience the entire Thameen collection with your nose. Love real jewels as much as fragrant ones? Then browse our 4D OUTFITTERS Fine Jewellery. And if you're after more London glamour, read our portrait of the crown of Clive Christian.
Your 4D OUTFITTERS team, Bregenz
Sources: Thameen – Our Story · The Luxury Bulletin · Hunger Magazine · Fragrantica: Thameen · Fragrantica News · Fragrantica: Peregrina · Parfumo: Thameen
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