Checkmate, darling. Rolls-Royce has just unveiled what is quite possibly the most decadent way to spend your leisure hours indoors — the Rolls-Royce Chess Set. Priced at a breezy $52,116, this is not your typical rainy-day pastime. This is a showpiece designed for those who take their games as seriously as they take their bespoke automobiles. It is theatre, sculpture, and strategy all wrapped into one gloriously indulgent package.
Rolls-Royce has always had a way of elevating life’s experiences — from gliding down the boulevard in silence to sipping champagne in the backseat while your chauffeur handles the wheel. Now, the marque is extending its mastery of ceremony and craft to a pastime enjoyed by kings, grandmasters, and tycoons alike. With this set, chess is no longer a board game — it is an event.
DRAMA IN EVERY DETAIL
The arrival of the Rolls-Royce Chess Set is designed to feel just as dramatic as the arrival of one of the marque’s legendary motor cars. The board opens in a single theatrical motion to reveal a finely upholstered holder that slowly elevates, presenting the magnetized pieces as though they are taking a bow on stage.
Hidden drawers on each side of the board add an element of surprise, each opening with the lightest touch to reveal an extra queen — because really, why settle for just one when you can have more? The base itself, clad in Rolls-Royce’s signature material and rising gently from the centre, references the marque’s iconic waft lines, floating elegantly on a narrow footprint.
Each piece has been painstakingly designed to sit in perfect alignment, thanks to concealed magnets beneath the board. Rolls-Royce designers experimented with no fewer than six different types of magnets before settling on the perfect strength. The result is chess with a sense of precision and decisiveness that makes every move feel like a royal decree.
PIECES FIT FOR A KING
The chessmen are not merely pieces; they are sculptures. Each one has been precision-crafted from ceramic-coated aluminum, faceted into monolithic forms that command attention. Their bases are squared, echoing the geometry of modern design, and each is topped with a polished stainless-steel head that gleams like jewellery under a spotlight.
The tactile coolness and solid weight of the pieces are deliberately reminiscent of the organ stops found in Rolls-Royce motor cars — mechanical engagement at its most satisfying. The black pieces carry a satin finish, suave and understated, while the white pieces shimmer with a subtle iridescence.
This is chess, yes, but these pieces also belong in an art gallery. One could almost imagine them displayed under glass — though what a shame it would be not to play.
MATERIALS WITHOUT COMPROMISE
Of course, it would not be Rolls-Royce without exquisite materials that mirror those used in its motor cars. The board is available in four veneer combinations, each cut with painstaking precision to create a diamond pattern when viewed from above. Veneer squares are laser cut, then placed by hand, all from the same log to ensure the wood ages uniformly.
Framing it all are polished aluminum edges, with the Spirit of Ecstasy discreetly affixed to front and back — a subtle nod to provenance.
Choices abound for the indulgent buyer. High-gloss Blackwood with Ceramic White and Macassar Ebony with Royal Walnut make striking statements, while open-pore Smoked Eucalyptus with Paldao or Obsidian Ayous with Blackwood offer understated elegance.
Personalization does not stop at the board. Clients can select from thirteen Rolls-Royce upholstery colours for the exterior and piece holder, ranging from the demure Cashmere Grey to the flamboyant Mandarin or Peony Pink. Tailored Purple, anyone?
Every set is meticulously hand-finished after a year of design, engineering, and experimentation. It is a triumph of detail — a discreet masterpiece that transcends function to become an heirloom. Rolls-Royce insists this is more than just a pastime; it is a contemporary work of art in its own right.
A MUST-HAVE INDULGENCE
As Nick Abrams, Accessories Designer at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, explained: “We were inspired to create our own Chess Set as a natural evolution of the sense of hosting and occasion that defines the Rolls-Royce experience. It serves as a contemporary work of art in its own right, as well as a practical, playable game.”
Translation? Rolls-Royce knows its clients, and those clients expect nothing less than perfection — even in their diversions.
This is not for everyone. But then, nothing from Rolls-Royce ever is. The Chess Set was conceived for the select few who demand beauty, precision, and presence in every corner of their lives. It is a statement of leisure elevated to an art form, where even the hum of strategy comes wrapped in finely tailored trim and the gleam of aluminum.
So, is $52,116 a frivolous display of wealth? Perhaps. But for Rolls-Royce admirers, it is also a chance to bring the marque’s legendary craftsmanship into the home in a way that is both intimate and indulgent.
After all, what better way to declare checkmate than with a Spirit of Ecstasy watching over the board?
Author Profile
- Helen Siwak is the founder of EcoLuxLuv Communications & Marketing Inc and publisher of Folio.YVR Luxury Lifestyle Magazine and PORTFOLIOY.YVR Business & Entrepreneurs Magazine. She is a prolific content creator, consultant, and marketing and media strategist within the ecoluxury lifestyle niche. Helen is the west coast correspondent to Canada’s top-read industry magazine Retail-Insider, holds a vast freelance portfolio, and consults with many of the world’s luxury heritage brands. Always seeking new opportunities and challenges, you can email her at [email protected].
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