The creation of Gravel cologne is one of the more unusual and charming origin stories in the world of fragrance—a blend of industrial sensibility, personal vision, and whimsical inspiration. The idea was born in 1957, when Michael B. Knudsen, a tall, lean, blue-eyed design engineer working for Shell Oil Company, was driving back to Manhattan from a weekend in Old Lyme, Connecticut. As he passed the Trap Rock and Gravel Company near Branford, the sight of heaps of small stones sparked an unexpected thought: “Why not put some of those rocks in a bottle and call it Gravel?” It was a moment of spontaneous creativity, yet one that would become the foundation for a cologne unlike any other on the market.
Knudsen, who was responsible for designing oil cans and gasoline containers in his professional life, had grown frustrated with the fragrances available to men at the time. He found none that quite suited him—not one that could simultaneously appeal to truck drivers and baseball players as well as polished Madison Avenue executives. He wanted something elemental, rugged, and understated—something honest and tactile. Thus, Gravel was conceived not only as a scent but as an experience—one rooted in nature, masculinity, and texture.
The first batch of gravel didn’t even come from a quarry. Instead, Knudsen sourced about 25 pounds of it from a friend’s driveway in Fort Lee, New Jersey. Back at his apartment on East 60th Street in Manhattan, he began experimenting. What he called a “loration” involved placing the stones in his bathtub and allowing bits of leaves and debris to rise to the surface. He then dried and sifted the gravel in a deep fryer basket to remove any lingering sand. But that wasn’t the end of the process. The pebbles were treated with both acid and alkaline baths—a form of sterilization and whitening—using polyethylene containers, followed by a curious final step: cooking them in an electric frying pan. While the reasons for this last stage remain unclear, it lent the project a sort of alchemical flair that speaks to Knudsen’s blend of science, aesthetics, and eccentricity.
Gravel cologne, as a finished product, featured actual pebbles in the bottle—a bold and literal expression of its name. This visual and tactile element was more than a novelty; it grounded the fragrance in the physical world, reinforcing its earthy, raw, and quietly sophisticated identity. It reflected Knudsen’s desire to create a scent that rejected artifice in favor of integrity and individuality.
The result was a fragrance that felt entirely personal and unorthodox, one born not of a laboratory, but of observation, inspiration, and a deep desire to create something authentic. Gravel cologne remains a cult favorite among collectors and fragrance aficionados, not only for its scent but for the singular narrative behind its creation—a story where everyday pebbles became the seeds of a sensory experience.
Fragrance Composition:
Michael Knudsen’s approach to crafting the scent of Gravel cologne was as unconventional and imaginative as the concept behind the bottle itself. Rather than following the traditional perfumery route of delicate florals or refined citrus blends, Knudsen set out to develop a fragrance that would reflect the daily rhythm of a modern, active man—the kind of person who moved between the physical demands of work and the relaxed indulgences of leisure.
To that end, he began experimenting with what he called "20th Century natural scents"—odors that could realistically be associated with the sensory environment of a healthy, busy man at work or play. These included the sharp tang of gasoline, the smoky warmth of Scotch whisky, the deep richness of tobacco, the pine-like bite of turpentine, and the distinctive clean scents of saddle soap and varnishes and polishes used on automobiles, shoes, and even brass. Knudsen didn’t view these materials as oddities—he saw them as everyday olfactory signatures of masculinity in mid-century America.
But these industrial and lifestyle scents needed balance, and Knudsen turned to International Flavors and Fragrances (IFF) to help refine and elevate the formulation. IFF, a major supplier of fragrance materials for global cosmetics manufacturers, provided the expertise and the more traditional perfumery elements Knudsen needed. In particular, they supplied the rich woodsy bases and raw animalic notes that grounded the concept, giving it longevity, depth, and sensuality. Knudsen recalled in a 1966 interview that the original blends he created were “as wild as the raw animal scents,” but the perfumers at IFF “got the message” and were able to translate his vision into something wearable, seductive, and commercially viable.
The finished Gravel cologne composition blended his gritty, real-world inspirations with classical fragrance structure. The top notes offered freshness and lift with bergamot and orange, giving an initial citrusy brightness. The heart, or middle notes, featured patchouli, tonka bean, and benzoin, adding warmth, sweetness, and a hint of spice. The base notes anchored the fragrance in a rich, masculine blend of Italian pine, cedarwood, sandalwood, resins, frankincense, vetiver, and musk—a dry, earthy, and slightly smoky finish that lingered on the skin.
The result was a fragrance that felt elemental, tactile, and utterly individual—one that conjured up imagery of gravel underfoot, well-worn leather, polished chrome, and the quiet sensuality of a man who preferred authenticity over artifice. Gravel cologne was not just a scent—it was a story in a bottle.
- Top notes: bergamot, orange
- Middle notes: patchouly, tonka bean, benzoin
- Base notes: Italian pine, cedar, sandalwood, resin, frankincense, vetiver, musk
Scent Profile:
The original Gravel cologne, created in collaboration between Michael Knudsen and the perfumers at International Flavors and Fragrances, is a composition that opens like the first breath of air in a sun-warmed forest just after a summer rain—a scent both familiar and enigmatic. It is a fragrance steeped in tactile contrast, where the polished stones resting at the bottom of the bottle seem to echo the scent’s grounded, mineral soul.
The first impression is bright and bracing: a top note of bergamot, cold-pressed from the peel of Calabrian citrus. This bergamot is not merely tart or zesty—it carries the elegant, tea-like bitterness that only southern Italian orchards produce. The region’s unique combination of soil and climate yields a fruit oil more refined than that from other countries, lending a sparkling clarity to the fragrance's introduction. Alongside it, sweet orange unfolds, its juicy warmth counterbalancing the sharper edge of the bergamot. The orange adds both luminosity and roundness, softening the entry with a sun-drenched sweetness that is both immediate and inviting.
As the citrus brightness fades, the heart of Gravel emerges with its deep, tactile richness. The patchouly—likely sourced from Indonesia, where the climate yields an oil with darker, more camphoraceous qualities—rises first. Earthy and slightly leathery, the patchouly here is dry rather than damp, acting as a bridge between the fresh top and the richly wooded base. Intertwined with it is the silky, almond-like note of tonka bean, rich in coumarin, a naturally occurring compound that smells like a warm blend of hay and vanilla. Tonka adds sweetness without sugariness, and as it diffuses, it invites in the warm, balsamic depth of benzoin, probably from Laos, known for producing a particularly resinous, vanilla-inflected material. Together, these notes create a tactile middle—resinous and spicy, but with soft edges, like aged velvet.
Then the scent dives into its base—the terrain that defines Gravel’s identity. Italian pine is immediately recognizable: green, crisp, almost sharp with a mentholic snap, evoking sun-bleached bark and needles underfoot. Italian pine is less astringent than other pine varieties, carrying an herbal clarity that lifts the deeper woods to follow. Cedarwood, likely from Virginia or the Atlas Mountains, provides a dry, pencil-shaving-like foundation that gives the scent structure and resonance. It works in tandem with sandalwood, likely Australian given the period of production; this creamy, soft wood smooths out the rougher edges of pine and cedar, lending warmth and a lactonic, slightly milky glow that balances the base.
Woven through the wood is the unmistakable presence of resins and frankincense. The frankincense, likely Boswellia sacra from Oman, brings a translucent, citrusy smoke—sacred and ancient. It is both light and dense, adding spiritual dimension and airiness to the otherwise grounded base. The resins, possibly labdanum or myrrh, add an amberlike chewiness that holds the structure together like golden sap, warm and slow to fade. Beneath it all, vetiver, probably Haitian, anchors the entire structure with a grassy, rooty depth. Haitian vetiver is prized for its clean, smoky green profile, which elevates the earthy impression without turning dirty or bitter.
Finally, musk—not animalic, but a modern synthetic musk—lingers with skin-like softness. These synthetic musks (perhaps Galaxolide or Exaltolide) are essential in a formula like this: they don’t just extend the longevity of the natural ingredients but amplify their texture, creating a haze that softens the woody edges and melts the resins into the skin. Where patchouly might feel rough or pine too sharp, musk smooths their angles and prolongs the dry down, creating a warm, intimate trail.
In sum, Gravel is not merely a woodsy cologne—it is a journey through sun, soil, bark, and stone. The citrus glints like light on river rock; the heart pulses with warmth and spice; and the base settles into something primal and comforting. It is a fragrance made not to shout, but to whisper—earth to skin, time to memory.
Bottles:
The journal emphasized the scent’s distinctly masculine aroma, but its real interest lay in the logistical and material challenges of making a cosmetic product from quarry stones. The primary obstacle, it noted, was finding gravel of sufficient hardness. Not all stones were up to the task: softer gravel tended to crumble or powder, which resulted in the cologne becoming cloudy or sedimented—undesirable traits for what was meant to be a sleek, modern product. Even more surprising were the chemical reactions some types of gravel had with the cologne’s essential oils. These reactions could dramatically alter the appearance of the fragrance, in some cases changing it from a light, golden fluid to an unexpectedly dark hue—a problem that risked undermining the product’s appeal and consistency.
To maintain quality, the gravel used in each bottle was carefully selected and processed. The manufacturer sourced pea-sized stones that were rescreened to fall within a specific size range: not smaller than what would pass through a 1/4-inch mesh and not larger than what would go through a 3/8-inch mesh, which also conveniently matched the approximate size of a typical 1/2-inch bottle neck. This sizing ensured that the pebbles would not clog the neck or interfere with the pouring of the fragrance. Once sorted, the gravel was thoroughly washed to remove dust, sand, and any residual organic matter. Only then were the stones added—by the handful—into bottles already filled with the essential oil blend that made up the cologne.
This level of detail, presented in a trade magazine more concerned with quarrying than colognes, underscores the novelty and eccentricity of Gravel as a commercial product. It was not just a cologne; it was a tactile, visual, and even geological experience—one that bridged the gritty world of construction materials with the refined domain of personal grooming.
The story of Gravel, a Man’s Cologne, began modestly but quickly found traction with discerning customers. The very first bottles—each containing 18 hand-cleaned pebbles at the bottom—were ready just before Christmas in 1958. Michael Knudsen, the product’s creator, approached FR Tripler & Co., a well-known men's outfitter in New York. The store took only a few dozen bottles at first, unsure of how this unusual fragrance would be received. But the response was immediate and enthusiastic: the first batch sold out quickly, prompting Tripler’s to reorder—twice more before Christmas.
By 1966, Gravel had made its way into several elite department stores, firmly establishing itself in high-end men's shops rather than mass-market cosmetic counters. It was sold at Lord & Taylor, Bloomingdale’s, and even the exclusive Lew Magram of New York, with an 8-ounce bottle priced at $8—a significant amount for a men’s cologne at the time. Knudsen was adamant about not placing his fragrance in the cosmetics aisles of drugstores; he was building a product image rooted in exclusivity and masculine sophistication. The distribution list reflected that carefully crafted identity: Neiman Marcus in Dallas, JL Hudson Co. in Detroit, Marshall Field in Chicago, and Ross-Sutherland in Honolulu all carried Gravel, positioning it as a prestige item coast-to-coast.
Knudsen had, by then, dedicated himself full time to the production of Gravel. Although he had arranged for the bottling process to take place outside his Manhattan apartment, he remained intimately involved in the details. Every two months, he would personally grade around 200 pounds of gravel, selecting only those stones that met his standard size of one-quarter to three-eighths of an inch. Over time, the number of pebbles per bottle increased—from 18 to about 25 or 30—a detail that customers grew attached to. In fact, some men even complained when the gravel didn’t look as dark or richly colored as they remembered. Knudsen maintained that the gravel hadn’t changed, but explained that natural variations in mineral content and trace elements caused the fragrance liquid to range in color, from light golden amber to rich mahogany.
Whatever the hue, Knudsen always emphasized the importance of applying Gravel directly to the skin, never to clothing—a practical note that echoed his hands-on approach to every aspect of the product. From idea to execution, Gravel was not just a cologne but a carefully engineered statement of masculinity, individuality, and authenticity, shaped by a man who saw beauty in the ordinary—pebbles—and turned them into something extraordinary.
Dreams Come True:
Michael Knudsen’s original vision for Gravel, a Man’s Cologne—that it would appeal not just to refined urban men, but also to rugged, working-class individuals like truck drivers and baseball players—ultimately became a reality. What started as a quirky, almost tongue-in-cheek concept evolved into a fragrance embraced across a broad masculine spectrum. Knudsen’s ambition to create a scent that captured the “busy, healthy man's daily activity at work or play” resonated with its intended audience.
Every holiday season, trucking companies began ordering Gravel by the gross, purchasing dozens of bottles as Christmas gifts for their drivers. These weren’t one-off gestures; they represented the kind of loyalty and word-of-mouth success that Knudsen had hoped for. Gravel became a favorite among those who may not have typically shopped in upscale department stores, but who appreciated the boldness and authenticity of the cologne.
Even professional athletes took notice. Phil Rizzuto, the legendary New York Yankees shortstop and longtime broadcaster, reached out personally to Knudsen. He explained that he had been purchasing Gravel while in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but wanted to know where he could find it in New Jersey. Not only was he a fan himself—Rizzuto also wanted to buy bottles for his teammates, further proving that Gravel had found its way into locker rooms as easily as it had onto Madison Avenue.
This widespread, organic adoption of Gravel among such diverse groups served as proof that Knudsen had succeeded in crafting something genuinely different—a cologne that was rugged yet refined, unconventional yet deeply personal. Gravel’s appeal wasn’t confined to a single demographic; it bridged the gap between the everyday and the elite, much like the very pebbles that inspired it.
Special Editions:
Michael Knudsen, the creative force behind Gravel, was not just a fragrance maker—he was a seasoned package merchandising expert with a flair for blending marketing ingenuity with unconventional presentation. His pioneering idea of incorporating small, polished rocks into bottles of cologne and aftershave was a deliberate effort to engage multiple senses: sight, sound, and scent. These pebbles, cleaned and tumbled smooth, were visible and audible within the liquid, providing a distinctive, tactile feature that helped Gravel stand out in a crowded marketplace of men’s grooming products.
In 1959, Knudsen expanded the Gravel line with two ambitious limited editions: Fairbanks and Sutter’s Creek. The Fairbanks edition included actual gravel sourced from the historic gold rush site in Fairbanks, Alaska, and came with a solid gold tie tack tucked inside the package—clearly designed for the adventurous or nostalgic man with an appreciation for Americana. Even more extravagant was the $150 “Sutter’s Creek” version, which featured gravel and genuine 18-karat gold ore collected from the Sutter’s Mill Stream in California, the birthplace of the 1849 Gold Rush. Adding to the opulence, the set included a pair of solid gold nuggets fashioned into cufflinks. A 1959 advertisement marketed the edition as “By special order only – ‘Sutter’s Creek’ Gravel Cologne. Bottle contains real 18kt panned gold nuggets and gravel. Gold nuggets convert to cufflinks...$150 plus federal tax.” These luxury versions of Gravel merged historical storytelling with sensory novelty, reinforcing the cologne’s rugged, masculine branding.
Knudsen’s eccentric creativity didn’t stop there. By 1971, he had launched a new line under the whimsical name Blue Baboon. Though it shared the same signature scent as Gravel, it was visually reinvented: the bottles were coated in imitation fur and filled with a blue-tinted version of the original fragrance. Blue Baboon was unmistakably a conversation piece, as much a novelty as a cologne. Priced at $16 for 8 ounces and $10 for 4 ounces in 1974, the line continued Knudsen’s pattern of combining visual flair and offbeat presentation to appeal to consumers looking for something boldly different.
By 1976, Knudsen was still deeply involved in developing his distinctive product line. Alongside Gravel and Blue Baboon, he had introduced Pebbles, a cologne created especially for boys. But much of his business operations remained unconventional. Rather than running a formal lab or office, much of the activity was centered around his East 66th Street apartment, which he shared with his wife, Marion Viana, a painter. Viana, supportive of her husband’s inventiveness, confessed some relief that his earlier home-based production techniques—washing gravel in the bathtub, deep-frying stones, and even “cooking” them in the electric frying pan—had become things of the past. Knudsen’s work may have been eccentric, but it was rooted in a sincere desire to offer men something personal, unusual, and unforgettable in a bottle.
Since its inception in 1957, Gravel Cologne stood apart from mainstream fragrances—not just in its composition, but in its entire philosophy. Created by Michael Knudsen, a former design engineer turned independent fragrance visionary, Gravel was marketed quietly and intentionally, with an emphasis on individuality and mystique. As the name suggests, each bottle contained actual gravel, not just as a visual novelty, but as part of the scent’s evolution. Knudsen believed that "the rocks seem to mellow it," implying that the stones played a role in aging or subtly refining the fragrance over time within the bottle.
By the mid-1970s, Gravel was sold at a handful of specialty shops, such as Whale’s Tale and RSVP, for $11 per 8-ounce bottle of cologne—a price that reflected both its artisanal nature and niche appeal. The after shave, available in a 6-ounce bottle, retailed for $7. These were modest but deliberate prices for a product that refused to conform to the norms of mass-market grooming items.
Knudsen’s attitude toward marketing and distribution was famously hands-off. In a 1976 interview, he stated unapologetically that he did not chase retailers. "If they don’t have the sense to order it, we don’t bother," he said, underscoring his refusal to dilute Gravel’s identity through aggressive commercial outreach. This philosophy extended to how and where the product was displayed. Knudsen was adamant that Gravel not share counter space with other men’s colognes, insisting that "those other products overwhelm the delicate fragrance of Gravel."
This deep sense of proprietary care—combined with his quirky dedication to authenticity and presentation—made Gravel not just a cologne, but a kind of personal statement. Knudsen wasn’t just selling a scent; he was offering an experience wrapped in minimalism and rugged charm, guided entirely by his own standards rather than the marketplace’s.
Fate of the Fragrance:
Kraft believed that these gravel pieces weren’t just a novelty—they subtly influenced the fragrance’s earthy scent profile, helping to give the cologne a distinct identity. The liquid itself, he observed, was a light amber that deepened in color with age, a quality he thought lent character and suggested maturity. His goal was to reintroduce Gravel with a refreshed design and refined marketing, aimed at discerning consumers who were looking for something unconventional yet refined. The cologne would be priced at $25 for a 4-ounce bottle, placing it within reach but maintaining an air of exclusivity.
To support the relaunch, Kraft commissioned a new package design featuring original artwork by Florida painter Dominic Mingolla. The painting, titled “Essence of Fragrance,” was a free-form composition of colors intended to appeal to female buyers, who Kraft pointed out were responsible for as much as 70% of men's fragrance purchases. It was a strategic move, recognizing the influence women held in selecting scents for the men in their lives. The new presentation aimed to communicate emotion and sophistication, a departure from the often sterile or hyper-masculine packaging of other men’s colognes.
Kraft was always transparent about Gravel’s roots. He credited its creation to Michael B. Knudsen, a former oil executive who launched the fragrance in 1957. Knudsen had a decidedly anti-commercial philosophy—he refused to engage in traditional advertising or promotional efforts, a radical position in an industry that depends so heavily on image and branding. Knudsen described Gravel as “a subtle, close-up male aroma—definitely out of place in the company of strictly commercial competitors.” Originally produced in New Jersey, Gravel had once been available only by special order, at upscale retailers like Neiman Marcus, before quietly slipping out of production.
Kraft’s personal connection to the fragrance began with a simple encounter. He first experienced it on a woman in New York, who had received a bottle of Gravel as a gift. The scent immediately struck him as earthy, intriguing, and mysterious—a stark contrast to the more common fragrances on the market. When asked what attracted him to relaunching Gravel beyond the potential for profit, Kraft replied simply, “It’s happy. It’s not depressing. Everything else I know is.” For him, Gravel wasn’t just a business venture—it was a passion project. Though he was fully aware of the long odds—especially with industry titans like Aramis pulling in $90 million annually—Kraft was confident that, with focused marketing and a dedicated sales force, Gravel could carve out a niche and even reach $1 million in its first year.
By 1983, Gravel was once again available at Neiman Marcus, this time with a new look but the same unconventional spirit. Kraft insisted that Gravel wasn’t a gimmick—it was, in his eyes, a modern classic, one of the few men’s colognes with enough uniqueness and staying power to outlast fleeting trends.
Gravel’s production remained under the direct guidance of its creator, Michael B. Knudsen, for decades. A fiercely independent figure, Knudsen managed every detail of his unique fragrance well into his later years, maintaining the same unorthodox approach that had defined the brand since its debut in 1957. He resisted mass-market strategies, choosing instead to operate on a smaller scale that prioritized individuality and distinctiveness. Remarkably, Knudsen continued to oversee Gravel's production until his death at the age of 98 in 2010, ensuring that the original formula and concept stayed true to his vision.
After Knudsen’s passing, the future of Gravel could have faded quietly into history. However, in 2018, the fragrance was revived, sparking a renewed interest in this cult classic. The relaunch honored Knudsen’s legacy while introducing modern updates, including new interpretations of the Gravel scent. These newer versions maintained the brand's signature identity—earthy, mysterious, and refined—while exploring more contemporary olfactory profiles. As of 2025, Gravel remains available for purchase, now positioned as both a heritage fragrance and a platform for new creative expressions. The small rocks at the bottom of each bottle, once seen as a marketing oddity, have become a timeless symbol of the brand's quirky elegance and enduring authenticity.
