Xerjoff from Turin: Meteorites, Pharaoh Caps and Rock 'n' Roll

A perfume in a rock-crystal flacon, a client in Moscow who immediately wants more, and a cap that looks like a pharaoh's crown. That is how the story of Xerjoff begins: the perfume house from Turin that sets meteorite fragments into its bottles, composes scents with Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi and turned a two-person project into a business with more than 100 million euros in revenue. Who is behind Xerjoff, why are the bottles so recognisable, and which scent should you start with?

Who founded Xerjoff?

It starts with two people from Turin. Sergio Momo painted as a child, later worked in design and, according to Forbes Italia, studied perfumery and distillation in Grasse in 2005. The love of scent runs in the family: his grandmother collected perfume bottles, and his father travelled through Asia in search of sandalwood and incense. Momo remembers the beginnings without any glamour: there were only two of them, he told Forbes, himself and his partner Dominique Salvo.

The spark came from a single bottle. Momo's first creation was a rich scent in a vessel of quartz, shaped and polished by hand, a work of art within a work of art. On a visit to Moscow, a client saw the piece and ordered several more. That is how Xerjoff tells it, and that is how things got rolling. The house was officially founded in 2007, while Fragrantica dates its first steps back to 2003. According to Forbes, the brand launched first in Russia and the Middle East, long before Europe discovered it.

The visionary

Sergio Momo

Designer, scent lover, guitarist. He conceives the ideas behind the collections, and his sketchbooks even became a fragrance line of their own.

The designer

Dominique Salvo

Co-founder and designer of the famous cap. She turns Momo's ideas into finished products and coordinates production, materials and quality.

What does the name Xerjoff mean?

An invented word that looks like a Russian surname, and there really is a little family story behind it. According to the Italian business magazine Milano Finanza, “Xer” comes from the English “Sir”: that is what colleagues called Momo when he worked in London on graphics and design for luxury brands. “Joff” was a nickname from his grandmother. Xerjoff itself does not explain the name on its website, but once you know there is a British title and a grandmother hidden in it, you will never forget it.

Why does the Xerjoff cap look like a pharaoh's crown?

Because, in spirit at least, it is one. Turin is home to one of the most important Egyptian museums in the world, and that is exactly where Dominique Salvo found her inspiration. The cap is based on the Deshret, the Red Crown of Lower Egypt worn by pharaohs and deities. It has been the house's signature from day one. Early bottles had a more elongated version; today it is shorter and more compact.

In 2016 the second building block arrived: the typical Xerjoff bottle with its curves and ridges, heavy base and clear glass that shows the colour and movement of the perfume. According to Xerjoff, the glass is Murano glass, the engravings come from Tuscan master glassmakers, and the semi-precious stones are cut by long-established jewellers in Valenza Po, a town in Piedmont with a long jewellery tradition.

Is it true that Xerjoff bottles contain meteorites?

Yes, and it is no marketing gimmick. The first collection, 17/17 Stone Label, appeared in 2007 and carries semi-precious stones on the bottle. In 2009 came Shooting Stars, inspired by the Sikhote-Alin meteorite that fell in Siberia in 1947. According to Xerjoff, every scent in this line contains a certified meteorite fragment, and many bear the names of real meteorites: Kobe, Oesel, Nio or Lua. So you are quite literally carrying a piece of outer space in your handbag.

What does Xerjoff smell like? The house signature

Xerjoff describes its own perfumery as rich, expressive and “unapologetically bold”. That sums it up. Quiet skin scents are the exception here; most compositions have volume, sweetness, spice and long longevity. Typical are warm bases of vanilla, amber, sandalwood and oud, often brightened by citrus, fruit or lavender.

Among its raw materials, the house names Tuscan iris butter, Tarakan oud from Borneo and rose from Kannauj in India. According to its own philosophy, Xerjoff combines traditional distillation with modern extraction methods. A signature that runs through many bestsellers: spices such as cinnamon and cardamom, which give warmth and radiance at the same time. Why cinnamon in particular appears so often is explained in our fragrance glossary entry on cinnamon.

Which Xerjoff collections are there?

With more than 180 scents, it is easy to get lost at Xerjoff. The good news: every collection has a clear idea. An overview with scents you can find at our shop:

How big is Xerjoff today?

The duo has become a group. In 2010 the first monobrand boutique opened in the Dubai Mall, later followed by Xerjoff and Casamorati boutiques at Harrods in London. Today the house lists 13 boutiques of its own, including Turin, Milan, Paris, Monaco, Lisbon and Barcelona, and distribution in more than 125 countries.

The figures are remarkable: according to Forbes Italia, Xerjoff turned over around 10 million euros in 2018, about 95 percent of it from exports. That same year Andrea Tessitore joined as president and minority shareholder. For 2025, Milano Finanza reported revenue of 107 million euros. Growth that many perfume houses can only dream of.

Because success also attracts counterfeiters, every bottle has carried an NFC chip from Certilogo since March 2025. A smartphone is all it takes to check whether a scent is genuine.

Which Xerjoff scent suits me?

A little guide to getting started, no meteorite science required:

• You like it warm, sweet and cosy? Naxos with honey, tobacco and vanilla, our best-selling Xerjoff.
• You want freshness with sea air? 40 Knots, a yacht in a bottle.
• Fruity and elegant? Accento with pineapple, hyacinth and iris.
• Rock 'n' roll, spicy, with rum? Tony Iommi Monkey Special.
• Opulent and made for the evening? We present the house's warm classics in The best warm scents by Xerjoff.

Smell first, then fall in love

Xerjoff scents are loud, warm and full of character, which is exactly why you should get to know them on your own skin. With every perfume order we include a sample of the scent you ordered, and via the order note in the cart you can request up to four more free samples, for example Naxos, Accento and 40 Knots for your own personal journey through Turin. Shipping is free from € 200.

Or visit us in our boutique in Bregenz and explore the whole Xerjoff collection with your nose. A first tour of the house's world can also be found in our earlier post Xerjoff: a luxurious journey.

Your 4D OUTFITTERS team, Bregenz

Sources: Xerjoff – The Story · Xerjoff – Nature & Craftsmanship · Xerjoff – Philosophy · Xerjoff – Authenticity · Xerjoff – Casamorati · Xerjoff – Shooting Stars · Xerjoff x Tony Iommi · Xerjoff – Sketchbook · Forbes Italia 2023 · Forbes Italia 2019 · Milano Finanza · Fragrantica