In 2015, the perfumer Francis Kurkdjian made a scent to mark the 250th anniversary of Baccarat, the French crystal house. He called it Baccarat Rouge 540, and Cosmopolitan says it was "inspired by the 250th anniversary of luxury crystal brand Baccarat." This October edit is for anyone who wants a Baccarat Rouge 540 dupe: a warm amber alternative for sweater weather.

Kurkdjian describes the composition as three auras: a sparkling opening, a warm middle, and a woodsy, sweet base. Press descriptions run to "airy, spicy, woody, metallic, and warm." That is a very specific shape, and it is why I would never promise an exact match. What I can do is point you to alternatives from other labels, built on the same notes or in the same family: saffron, amber, a little ambergris, and sweetness at the end. Nothing here is the original, and nothing here pretends to be.

Start with the eau de parfums. The two Michael Malul bottles are my first stop: Sangria + Saffron has saffron over jasmine, rose and ambergris, and Saffron + Sugar sets saffron against a sandalwood, amber and caramel base, which is the closest this page gets to that burnt-sugar trail. BDK Parfums Ambre Safrano is more openly spicy, saffron blended with warm amber. Byredo Black Saffron Absolu goes darker and leathery, so I would keep it for evenings. Moroccanoil L'Originale is the soft one, sweet florals, velvet woods and spicy amber, the bottle for a wool coat and a scarf.

Test tip: spray one on skin, not paper, and wait twenty minutes. Saffron scents change most in the dry-down, and the dry-down is the part that has to read as amber.

Ambroxan is the note that Who What Wear calls the one to look for, "a synthetic version of ambergris that has a sweet, musky, animalistic profile." In this group it shows up as a soft amber glow rather than a sharp one, and the sweetness is doing the work. Airy is the word to hold on to, because a sweet amber that turns heavy loses the lift.

Viktor&Rolf Bonbon Caramel Crunch is the nearest thing to the burnt-sugar idea, with salted caramel and vanilla, and the caramel-tinted bow bottle is a lot of fun on a vanity. Burberry Goddess Amber Vanilla Intense is warmer and rounder, lavender and maple syrup over a quartet of vanillas. NEST New York Golden Nectar is a floral gourmand with sueded amber and musk, the one I would pick for a lighter hand. AERIN Amber Musk is the quietest of them, floral amber with musk and a polished stone cap, and Mancera Paris Amberful moves from a zesty opening into deep woods, which gets nearer the woody side of the original.

Pairing idea: a sweet amber spray on the pulse points under a cashmere crewneck, and nothing else with a strong smell that day.

At the counter, check the middle hour, not the first minute. A good alternative keeps some air between the sugar and the wood. What I would skip: the thickest vanilla-heavy bottles if you want that glassy, sparkling feel, because they read as dessert.

Mists are the easy way into this scent family, because they are light on purpose and you can layer them without a plan. Sol de Janeiro has been writing the warm gourmand story for years, and Cheirosa 62 Bum Bum, with its caramel and vanilla, is the one I would put on a bare shoulder in October. The limited Leite Café has a latte accord with coconut milk and lychee, so it is milkier and more playful.

For amber specifically, Moroccanoil's Fragrance Originale mist carries spicy amber and sweet florals, and it is made for hair as well as skin. Kylie Skin's Hair & Body Mist brings a Caramel Cloud scent, ambery and gourmand, which sits closest to the sugary end of the original. NEST New York Madagascar Vanilla is warm vanilla bean and orchid, and Ellis Brooklyn does two sweeter versions, Vanilla Sin and Marshmallows, if you like a soft, sticky finish.

Test tip: hold the nozzle a hand's width from your neck and spray once, then walk around for ten minutes. Mists lift off skin quickly, which is the point, so judge the first spray by the second hour. A fine, even spray is a better sign than a loud first note.

What I would skip: the pistachio praline mist from MUGLER if you want amber and saffron, because it goes fruity and nutty, not woody.

Oils and rollerballs sit closer to skin, and ambroxan-style scents suit that, since Who What Wear notes they "leave a soft yet noticeable trail." A roll-on also lets you place the scent exactly where you want it, wrists and behind the ears, with no cloud.

The warmest bottles here are the amber and woody ones. Maison Louis Marie No.04 Bois de Balincourt blends sandalwood, vetiver and amberwood in an oil that is earthy and calm, and By Rosie Jane REMI pairs a little citrus with warm amber, which gives it a lift near the top. Heretic Dirty Vanilla adds amber, sandalwood and a hint of coriander, so it has a bit of spice. Ellis Brooklyn makes the other two I would look at: Vanilla Santo with a woody, smoky edge, and Milk Wood, which is milky woods on sun-warmed skin.

For something sweeter, Skylar Fall Cashmere is a warm spiced gourmand in a vegan rollerball, Lake & Skye 11 11 Vanilla leans into vanilla creme and marshmallow, and Lovery Vanilla is the simple, sweet one for a bag.

Check the rollerball itself: it should glide, not drag, and the cap should seat firmly. Dab, do not rub, which crushes the top notes.

What I would skip: the plain vanilla oils if you want the dry, woody part of this scent family. They are lovely, but they are a different mood.

Amber candles are the quiet way to bring this scent family into a room, a good fit for dark October evenings and the start of holiday hosting. A candle will not copy a perfume, and it should not try. What it can do is carry the same warm, resinous idea.

Diptyque Ambre is the classic: a clear glass jar with the oval label, in a straight amber scent. NEST New York Moroccan Amber layers amber with sweet patchouli, heliotrope and bergamot, which adds a floral lift. Voluspa Baltic Amber comes in an embossed golden glass jar with a patterned lid, and it looks good on a console. AERIN Amber Musk Patchouli is a white glass candle in a gold-framed label, softer and more musky, and Antica Farmacista Golden Amber is the large 15 oz jar for a big living room.

Saffron is here too. Dolce&Gabbana Velvet Zafferano pairs saffron with smoky amber, and it is the one that speaks most directly to the opening notes of the original. LAFCO Amber Black Vanilla is a foyer candle in a sweeter register, and Illume Terra Tabac, in frosted amber-tinted glass, is the earthier choice with tobacco and soft amber.

Burn test: trim the wick to a quarter inch, let the first burn run until the wax melts edge to edge, and smell it a few feet away rather than over the jar.

What I would skip: very sweet vanilla amber in a small room. It gets cloying faster than you think.

I would go in this order. Pick the family first: saffron and amber if you want the spark, sweet amber if you want the trail. Then match the notes, since the press advice is simple: saffron, jasmine, ambergris and cedar, with ambroxan as the detail that sells the look.

Then choose the format. A mist for every day, an oil for the wrist, a candle for the room. Keep one eau de parfum for evenings. Cosmopolitan notes that none of the alternatives "smell exactly the same" as the original, and I think that is the freeing part: you are looking for the feeling, not a match.

The original has its crystal story. Yours only has to smell warm when you walk into a room.