The Best Luxury Chess Sets: Heirloom Wood, Marble and Designer Boards Worth Displaying
By Claire Whitmore. Last updated October 2026.
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A beautiful chess set is one of the rare objects that’s equally good on display and in use. Left out on a coffee table or library desk, it invites a game; packed away, it’s an heirloom that can be handed down for decades. And because chess is having a long moment, from streaming to the lasting Queen’s Gambit effect, a luxury set is also one of the most thoughtful gifts you can give a player, a collector or a design lover.
Luxury here means two different things. For players, it’s a properly weighted Staunton set, the classic design used in tournaments, with felted pieces on a hardwood board sized so the pieces fit the squares. For decorators, it’s a designer set in marble, leather, stone or metal that looks like sculpture. We cover both.
We based our picks on design editors’ selections at Architectural Digest, Town & Country and Robb Report, and on playability guidance from Chess House, a specialty chess retailer whose buyer’s guide explains tournament sizing (note that Chess House sells the sets it recommends). We didn’t test these sets ourselves.
Quick answer: For a set you’ll actually play on, a weighted Championship-style Staunton set with a 3.75-inch king and a 2-inch-square board is the sweet spot. For a showpiece, Robb Report and Town & Country both single out L’Objet’s stone-and-gold set and Aerin’s shagreen-and-burlwood set, and Architectural Digest likes Crate & Barrel’s marble Post Modern set, which still meets U.S. Chess Federation specs.
Our picks at a glance
| Set | Materials | Who recommends it | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Championship Staunton combo | Weighted wood pieces, mahogany board | Chess House best overall | Serious play |
| Heirloom Championship set | Championship pieces, walnut and maple board | Chess House best luxury | A lifetime set |
| French Lardy Staunton with tiger ebony board | Ebonized and acacia pieces, 3.75-in king | Town & Country | Classic play |
| Crate & Barrel Post Modern Chess | Hand-polished marble | Architectural Digest | Coffee-table display |
| Hermès Samarcande | Mahogany | Town & Country | Understated luxury |
| Ralph Lauren Fowler | Hand-cut leather, nickel and gold-plated brass | Robb Report; Town & Country | Library or study |
| Aerin Shagreen | Shagreen and burlwood, gold-plated pieces | Robb Report; Town & Country | Glam statement |
| L’Objet Chess Set | Black and white stone, 24k gold details | Robb Report; Town & Country | The gift that wows |
| Man Ray Chess Set | Abstract geometric pieces | Architectural Digest; Robb Report | Design history |
| The George x Williams Sonoma | Leather box, aluminum pieces | Architectural Digest | Chess and checkers |
| Printworks Athena | Lacquered wood | Architectural Digest | Starter set |
| Beyond Innoventions Magnetic | Folding magnetic board | Architectural Digest | Travel |
Some of these designer sets were chosen several years ago and availability or pricing may have changed; prices we quote were listed by the outlets when they published. Check current details before buying.
How we chose
We chose based on the editors’ picks and the retailer guidance above, keeping sets that are well made from real materials and either play properly or work as genuine design objects. For playing sets we looked at king height, square size, weighting and felt; for display sets we looked at materials, craftsmanship and the designer behind them. Sets sold on Amazon link there; designer sets link to the brand or retailer that the outlets cited.
The best sets for playing
1. Championship Staunton Chess Set Combo: best for serious play
Best for: players who want tournament-style pieces at a reasonable price.
Chess House’s best overall wooden set pairs reproductions of the traditional European Championship pattern, the style used at World Championships and FIDE Olympiads, with a smoothly finished mahogany board printed with algebraic coordinates. The pieces are heavily weighted with billiard felt bases and no delicate points to chip, with a 3.75-inch king on 2-inch squares.
That size is the classic combination for home and club play, and the weighting is what makes a set feel expensive in hand: a heavy king lifted off the board and set down with a soft thud.
Pros
- Tournament-style design
- Heavily weighted, felted pieces
- Coordinates on the board
Cons
- Not a designer statement piece
See Chess House | Search Amazon
2. Heirloom Championship Chess Set: best heirloom wood set
Best for: a once-in-a-generation purchase or gift.
Chess House calls this its flagship. It uses the same Championship chessmen, paired with a board handcrafted in Pennsylvania by JLP, a woodworking family with five generations of heritage, from locally sourced walnut and maple that is dried and cured for months before cutting and finishing. Chess House says the board was inspired by the discontinued Drueke board, an American classic.
Pros
- Handmade walnut and maple board
- Weighted Championship pieces
Cons
- Premium price
- Sold by the retailer that recommends it
3. French Lardy Staunton with Deluxe Tiger Ebony Board: a classic for purists
Best for: players who love the French Lardy pattern.
Town & Country’s pick from The Chess Store pairs ebonized and acacia Staunton pieces in the French Lardy style, with a 3.75-inch king, on a deluxe tiger ebony board. T&C calls it a back-to-basics set for the player who wants to focus on the game with quality.
Pros
- Regulation-size king
- Handsome contrasting woods
Cons
- Listing details may have changed since T&C’s pick
See The Chess Store | Search Amazon
4. 21-inch Ambassador Wooden Chess Set: best for display and gifting
Best for: a striking wood set at a moderate price.
Chess House’s display pick is hand-crafted in Poland with hornbeam and sycamore pieces on a beech and birch board, with rope-etched detailing and contrasting king and queen styling that make it stand out. Chess House is upfront that the pieces have no added weights, so they’re lighter than a weighted set, which some people prefer and others don’t.
Pros
- Distinctive European design
- Hand-crafted in Poland
Cons
- Unweighted pieces
See Chess House | Search Amazon
The best sets for display
5. Crate & Barrel Post Modern Chess Game: best marble set
Best for: a coffee table that needs a centerpiece.
Architectural Digest’s pick for a bare coffee table is a minimalist marble set inspired by Brutalist architecture and postmodern sculpture. The tan and white pieces are each hand-polished, and despite their unusual shapes AD notes the set still meets United States Chess Federation specifications, so it plays as well as it looks.
Pros
- Real marble
- Meets USCF specifications
- Sculptural design
Cons
- Heavy and less portable
6. Hermès Samarcande Chess Game: understated luxury
Best for: quiet luxury fans.
Town & Country notes that Hermès streamlines chess with understated mahogany pieces. It’s a refined, logo-light way to bring the house’s craftsmanship into a living room.
Pros
- Elegant mahogany
- Hermès craftsmanship
Cons
- Very expensive
7. Ralph Lauren Home Fowler Chess Set: best for a library or study
Best for: traditional, clubby rooms.
Robb Report says every aspect of this set is made by hand: a leather board with intricate stitching around the border and pieces in nickel and gold-plated brass. Town & Country adds that it comes with checkers, too. Robb Report listed it at $1,995 when it published.
Pros
- Handcrafted leather board
- Includes checkers
Cons
- Expensive
8. Aerin Shagreen Chess Set: best statement set
Best for: glamorous interiors.
Both Robb Report and Town & Country picked Aerin’s set. The embossed shagreen finish on a burled wood board shines even when it’s just sitting on a mantel, and the gold-plated and black satin pieces capture each piece’s character without looking fussy, according to Robb Report, which listed it at $3,250.
Pros
- Stunning materials
- Works as decor
Cons
- Among the priciest picks
9. L’Objet Chess Set: the gift that wows
Best for: the recipient who has everything.
L’Objet’s board is made of black and white stone with hand-painted details in 24-karat gold, and the block-inspired pieces give it a mod feel. Robb Report says it spares no expense and listed it at $1,795; Town & Country says it’s sure to win you best gift giver of the year.
Pros
- Stone and 24k gold
- Hand-painted details
Cons
- Display-first design
10. Man Ray Chess Set: best for design lovers
Best for: collectors of modernist design.
Architectural Digest explains that Man Ray designed abstract pieces inspired by found objects in his studio, with a pyramid-shaped king and a knight modeled after the neck of a violin, first made in 1920. Robb Report calls it part game, part artwork. AD points to Design Within Reach for the reissue.
Pros
- Iconic modernist design
- A conversation piece
Cons
- Abstract pieces take getting used to
11. The George x Williams Sonoma Leather Chess and Checkers: best two-in-one
Best for: families who want chess and checkers in one box.
AD’s elevated classic comes in a cerulean leather box from The George, a 1920s boutique hotel in New Jersey. The aluminum pieces have a satisfying weight, and the box stores all 32 pieces plus the checker set.
Pros
- Leather case doubles as storage
- Weighty metal pieces
Cons
- Cerulean leather is a bold color choice
12. Printworks Athena and a magnetic travel set: best starter and travel sets
Best for: beginners, kids and trips.
AD’s starter pick is Printworks’ Athena set, beautifully lacquered with a geometric pattern and distinct, minimal pieces so a learner won’t confuse a knight with a bishop. For travel, AD likes Beyond Innoventions’ folding magnetic set, which stores the pieces inside and closes with a metal clasp.
Pros
- Affordable
- Easy to learn on
Cons
- Not heirloom pieces
Printworks Athena on Amazon | Magnetic travel set on Amazon
How to choose a luxury chess set
Get the proportions right
If you’ll play, size matters more than price. Chess House’s recommended sets pair a 3.75-inch king with 2-inch squares, the classic match for home and club play. As a rule of thumb, the king’s base should fill most of a square without crowding it, and pieces shouldn’t overhang the squares or look lost on them. Buying a matched combo avoids guesswork. Shop weighted Staunton pieces on Amazon | Shop 2-inch-square boards.
Weight and felt
Weighted pieces with felt bases are the hallmark of a quality wooden set: they feel substantial, stay put and glide quietly. Chess House points out that some handsome sets, like the Ambassador, use unweighted solid wood, so check before you buy if heft matters to you.
Display sets: materials and care
Marble and stone are heavy and can chip if a piece is dropped, so they’re best for a permanent spot. Leather needs to stay out of direct sun, and polished brass or gold-plated pieces benefit from a soft cloth rather than polish. If you want a display set that also plays properly, look for one that meets U.S. Chess Federation specifications, as AD notes the Crate & Barrel marble set does. Browse marble chess sets on Amazon.
Make it part of the room
A chess set looks best with somewhere to play: a low coffee table between two chairs, a game table by the window or a corner by the fire. Add a warm throw and good light and the set becomes an invitation. See our guides to electric fireplaces and luxury throw blankets for the rest of the scene.
Gifting tips
For a serious player, buy the best weighted Staunton set you can afford; they’ll use it for decades. For a design lover, choose the set that matches their home, not yours. Engraved boards and monogrammed boxes make a set even more personal, and a set with a storage box is easier to keep complete.
FAQ
What size chess set should I buy?
For most home and club play, a 3.75-inch king on a board with 2-inch squares is the classic combination recommended by Chess House. Larger sets with 4-inch-plus kings need bigger squares.
What is a Staunton chess set?
Staunton is the standard design used in tournaments worldwide, with the familiar crown-topped king and horse-head knight. Championship and French Lardy sets are variations on the Staunton pattern.
Are marble chess sets good for playing?
They can be, as long as the pieces are sized for the squares. Architectural Digest notes Crate & Barrel’s marble Post Modern set meets U.S. Chess Federation specs. Marble is heavy and can chip, so handle it with care.
Why are luxury chess sets so expensive?
You’re paying for materials like hardwood, stone, leather and plated metal, hand carving and finishing, and, for designer sets, the name and design history behind them.
Is a chess set a good gift?
Yes. It suits players and non-players alike as a beautiful object, and a well-made set lasts for generations.
