The five most expensive chess sets of all time

Chess player's equipment? The five most expensive chess sets of all time

Author: Garrett Parker

Garrett is a freelance writer and journalist specializing in personal finance. With over 10 years of experience, he has covered business, CEOs, and investing. However, he enjoys tackling other topics that are relevant to his personal interests, such as cars, future technologies, and anything else that could change the world.

Chess has been revered for centuries as one of the most popular strategy games in the world. Millions of people around the world, both amateurs and seasoned professionals, enjoy this classic board game. Contrary to popular belief, chess is not at all difficult to learn. The rules are simple and so easy to understand that even young children can master them, although mastery of the game comes only with extensive experience playing.

No one is 100 percent sure where chess originated, but its history goes back at least 1,500 years. Most believe its roots can be traced back to India, with some historians pointing to China as the place of chess's origin. Wherever it came from, one thing is certain: it's as exciting to play now as it ever was.

To play this game, you'll need at least a chess set — no fancy bells and whistles are necessary, as chess is more about the skill of the player than the equipment. However, those looking to hone their skills with a luxury set will find plenty of options. It's not uncommon for people to spend $50, $100, or perhaps more to buy a quality chess set, but that's by no means the most expensive price you can get. Here are five of the most expensive chess sets ever made.

5. Carolingian XIV chess set – $113,575

Piero Benzoni created this stunning chess set. It features a scene that pays homage to the ancient 9th century battles that took place between the Ottomans and the Carolingians. Each piece in this chess set is adorned with the attire of the same era and is made of pure gold and silver.

The Carolingian XIV chess set has a gothic look, and the detail on the hand-crafted pieces is incredible. Instead of standard chess pieces, this medieval set is carved with real kings, queens, knights, bishops, pawns, and rooks.

To store the magnificent pieces, the Carolingi XIV set features an onyx chessboard, which is also exquisitely detailed. All this luxury and craftsmanship comes at a price of $113,575. This chess set was designed as a decorative piece, but it can actually be used for playing.

4. J. Grail's chess set - $450,000

Jim Graal originally designed this custom chess set in 1972, and it's a real beauty. The pieces weigh almost a pound in total, and each one is crafted from solid silver and 14k gold. The pieces have a 14th-century aesthetic, complete with period clothing and details. The chessboard is made of ebony, adorned with sterling silver, and even the case is hand-crafted and exquisitely detailed.

Overall, the set has an exquisite look and will be the perfect board for those who are fond of exquisite workmanship, exotic woods, rare stones and have a lot of extra money. The price for a custom-made replica of this chess set by J. Grall is $450,000.

3. Chess set "Royal Diamonds" - $500,000

Charles Hollander is a company known for retailing extremely luxurious items, and the Royal Diamond chess set is no exception. French artist and jeweler Bernard Makin designed this set for Charles Hollander, and it is an incredible combination of artisanal beauty and luxury.

To say this set is luxurious is an understatement. The chessboard and pieces took over 4,500 hours to design and hand-craft, making this chess set one of the most expensive in the world.

2. Chess set "The Art of War" - $750,000

Sun Tzu's The Art of War is considered the greatest treatise on military strategy, making it the perfect theme for a chess set. Victor F. Sharstein designed this masterpiece, crafted from solid gold and precious stones. The pieces in the set have an Asian influence, and each one has been hand-set with rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and diamonds. The ebony board itself is a sight to behold, with its legs, hinges, handle, and key carved from gold and adorned with precious stones.

The Art of War set has always been one of the most expensive chess sets in the world. When it was put up for auction, bids came from almost every continent. The manufacturer rejected a bid of $750,000 for the set, which came from Indonesia, so the winning bid must have been much higher.

1. Jewel Royale Chess Set – $1,327,515

All of the chess sets on this list contain an impressive amount of precious stones, gemstones, precious metals, and beautiful materials, but none of them come close to the cost of the most expensive chess set on the planet. The Jewel Royale set — a royal collection, meticulously crafted and glittering with a huge amount of gold and precious stones. However, when this chess set was first introduced, the hype surrounding it got out of hand.

When it was first announced, a wave of misconceptions spread across the internet, and many of them still persist today. Boodles, a jewelry house specializing in custom jewelry design, collaborated with Jewel Royale to design the chess set, and a single piece – the king – was created as a proof of concept. The 18-karat yellow gold, ruby-encrusted piece alone costs $59,742. However, rumors have spread that the king is worth more than $132,864, and the entire set is estimated to be worth $9.8 million.

Boodles cleared up this confusion and noted that the entire Jewel Royale chess set can be custom-made for just $1,327,515. Since the set is custom-made, it takes about four months to make and ship.

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