5 Most Expensive Chess Sets in the World

Chess is one of the most played strategy games in the world, and has been around for over a thousand years and its popularity continues to increase in today’s times. The main factor that makes chess a favorite of millions of people is its uncomplicated rules.

Even though it is a complex game, the basic rules and regulations governing chess can be understood by children. This only becomes more complicated as one begins to climb the ladder of the professional chess circuit. Here, only very experienced and skilled players have a chance of winning big tournaments.

The chess board is where all the action of the chess game takes place. This is a simple chess board that has 64 squares or tiles divided into black and white. Anyone can buy a chess board from any local shop that sells toys and the like.

But over the years, chess enthusiasts have produced beautiful chessboards that are truly awe-inspiring. While you can get a set of chess boards for a small price, there are others that cost up to millions.

As they are commonly called, these ‘works of art’ attract the attention of the world’s richest people and are commonly sold at auction. When we think about most expensive chess setwe naturally tend to imagine a chessboard set with selected gemstones and jewels in our minds. And that’s what happened with this unique board. They only capture the imagination of the rich and famous.

In the following section of the Square Off article, we will look at luxury chess sets which are categorized as the most expensive and most beautiful chess sets in the world.

Art of War Chess Set

Many of you have probably heard of the ancient Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu. His famous work, ‘The Art of War’, is an all-time classic on statecraft and warfare. Taking a cue from this book, the creators of ‘The Art of War Chess Set’ have crafted this stunning chess set from pure gold and precious stones.

Designed by Victor F. Scharstein, each chess piece on this board is handcrafted from solid gold. The surfaces of the parts have been detailed with a series of gems such as sapphires, rubies and emeralds. This Asian-inspired chess set comes with a price tag of USD 750,000.

King Game Chess Set

The second chess set we included on the list is known as the ‘Game of Kings’ chess set. One of the most unique chessboards ever produced, this Aztec and Mayan inspired chessboard took several years to complete. A large number of artists from around the world contributed to give life to this vibrant series.

Weighing more than a ton and containing 110 pounds of silver, Game of Kings features human-like figures in place of chess pieces. These statues are made to resemble Aztec and Mayan warriors. This extraordinary work of art is priced at USD 3 million.

Pearle Royale Chess Set

Has long held the title’most expensive chess set‘, The Pearle Royale chess set is a 4 million dollar chess set designed by Australian jeweler Colin Burns. Regarded worldwide as the most beautiful chess set ever made, the Pearle Royale is crafted from 18 carat pure white gold and over 510 carats of certified diamonds.

The way artists and designers combine diamonds and gold to create chess piece sculptures is beyond comprehension. Except for the heads of the king and queen, the heads of the other chess pieces are made of pearls. Mr. Burns used Ceylon blue sapphires to prepare the bases for the heads of kings and queens.

J. Grahl Chess Set

The J. Grahl chess set, completed in 1972, stands out as one of the finest luxury chess sets on the planet. Made of solid gold and silver, this set was produced for the Cole family. The idea behind J. Grahl’s chess set comes from 14th century European iconography. The designer took special care in ensuring the chess pieces emulated the visual aesthetic of medieval Europe.

Observers will notice that all the chess pieces on this board have been carved with impressive detail and precision. Not only the board, the material used to make this chess board is also pure ebony. This wooden base is coated with shimmering silver to give it a stunning structural appearance. This handmade work of art is priced at USD 450,000.

Gem Royale Chess Set

Pioneers for tags’most expensive chess set‘ is currently in the hands of the Jewel Royale chess set. This most impressive and completely gem-based chess set is unfinished and is going through its final stages of development. Once completed, it is believed that Jewel Royale will make chess observers go berserk when they witness its beauty.

The idea behind the production of this chess set came from the jewelry manufacturing organizations Boodles and Jewel Royale. Their combined efforts in producing the world’s most expensive chess piece continues to gain traction, and they have shocked the world by releasing an image of their first completed chess piece – a king. This was done to suppress rumors that the project was a hoax. The first chess piece of this set, the king, is said to be priced at USD 59,742 and is made of 18 carat pure gold.

Several columnists and chess observers commented on the project in various media channels. They are of the view that Jewel Royale will amaze people on a different level and will be unlike anything that has been done to date. Analysts have made predictions that Jewel Royale will be priced at nearly 9.8 million dollars once the entire series is completed and released for market appraisal.

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So, that concludes our list of the most expensive chess sets in the world. If you are interested in knowing more about the game of chess and how it has developed over the centuries, check out our blog entitled ‘Learn the Rich History and Origins of Chess’.
While browsing our blog section, don’t forget to take a peek at our shop, where you’ll find the best deals and offers on our award-winning fully automated, AI-powered chess board.