5 Most Expensive Chess Sets In The World

Chess is one of the most played strategy games in the world, and it has been around for over a thousand years and continues to grow in popularity over time. The main factor that makes chess a favorite of millions is the uncomplicated rules.

Despite being a complex game, the basic rules and regulations governing chess can be understood by a child. It only gets more complicated once someone starts climbing the ladder of the professional chess circuit. Here, the most experienced and skilled players have a chance to win big tournaments.

The chessboard is where all the action of the chess game takes place. It is a simple checkerboard with 64 squares or tiles divided into black and white colors. Anyone can buy a chessboard from any local store that sells toys and such.

But over the years, chess enthusiasts have come up with beautiful chess boards that are absolutely breathtaking. If you can get a chessboard set for a small amount of money, there are others that go for millions.

As it is often referred to, these ‘works of art’ attract the richest of the planet and are usually sold at auctions. If we think about the most expensive chess setwe naturally tend to picture chess boards fitted with the choicest gems and jewels in our minds. And that is exactly the case with these amazing boards. They only capture the imagination of the rich and famous.

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

The Art of War Chess Set

Many of you may have heard of an ancient Chinese philosopher named Sun Tzu. His famous work, ‘The Art of War’, is a classic work on statecraft and warfare. Taking a leaf out of this book, the creator of ‘The Art of War Chess Set’ has crafted this stunning chess set from solid gold and precious stones.

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

Game of Kings Chess Set

The second chess set we put on our list is called the ‘Game of Kings’ chess set. One of the most unique chess boards ever made, this Aztec and Maya-inspired board took several years to complete. A plethora of artists from around the world have contributed to bringing this life-like set to life.

Weighing over a ton and containing 110 pounds of silver, the Game of Kings features human-like figures in place of chess pieces. These figurines were made in the form of Aztec and Mayan warriors. This stellar piece of art is priced at USD 3 million.

Pearle Royale Chess Set

Long holding the title of ‘most expensive chess set‘, the Pearle Royale chess set is a 4 million dollar chess set designed by Australian jeweler Colin Burns. Universally accepted as the most beautiful chess set ever made, the Pearle Royale is crafted from solid 18-carat white gold and more than 510 carats of certified diamonds.

The way in which the artist cum designer mixes diamonds and gold into chess piece figurines is beyond comprehension. Except for the king and queen, the remaining heads of the chess pieces are made from pearls. Mr. Burns used Ceylon blue sapphires to prepare the base of the heads of the kings and queens.

J. Grahl Chess Set

The J. Grahl chess set, completed in 1972, stands as one of the top luxury chess sets on the planet. Made from solid gold and silver, this set was made for the Cole family. The idea behind the J. Grahl chess set comes from the iconography of 14th century Europe. The designer took great care to ensure that the chess pieces were modeled on the visual aesthetics of medieval Europe.

The observer will notice that all the chess pieces on this board are carved with impressive detail and precision. Not only the board but the material used to make the chessboard is also pure ebony wood. This wooden base is filled with glittering silver to give the structure a stunning look. This handmade piece of art comes at a price of USD 450,000.

Jewel Royale Chess Set

The first for the tag of ‘most expensive chess set‘ is now in the possession of the Jewel Royale chess set. This most impressive, fully jewel-based chess set is not yet complete and is going through the final stages of development. When completed, the Jewel Royale is believed to enrage chess observers, who gaze upon its beauty.

The idea behind the creation of this chess set comes from the jewelry manufacturing organization Boodles and Jewel Royale. Their joint effort to create the world’s most expensive chess piece continues to gain traction, and they have already shocked the world by releasing images of the first chess piece they completed – a king. This was done to kill rumors that the project was, in fact, a hoax. The first chess piece in this set, the king, is said to be priced at USD 59,742 and is made of 18-carat solid gold.

A number of chess columnists and observers have commented on this project in various media channels. They think that Jewel Royale will surprise people on a different level and unlike anything that has been done so far. Analysts have made predictions that the Jewel Royale will be priced at around 9.8 million dollars when the entire set is completed and released for market valuation.

Learn More about the Game on the Square Off Website

So, that concludes our list of the most expensive chess sets in the world. If you are interested in learning more about the game of chess and how it has evolved over the centuries, check out our blog titled ‘Learning the Rich History and Origins of Chess’.
While browsing our blog section, remember to check out our store, where you’ll find the best deals and offers on our award-winning AI-powered, fully automated chess boards.