THE GRANDMASTER’S CHOICE: INTRODUCING THE ROLLS-ROYCE CHESS SET

“We are in the privileged position of knowing our clients personally. These relationships – and the unique insights they provide into our clients’ worlds, tastes, and preferences – inform everything we do at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. Knowing that many clients enjoy chess — often at an extremely high level — 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. Incorporating materials and the meticulous craft techniques our clients know and love from their motor car, the Chess Set is a discreet, beautiful, and authentic extension of our brand into their homes. It serves as a contemporary work of art in its own right, as well as a practical, playable game.”
Nick Abrams, Accessories Designer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

 
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars presents the Rolls-Royce Chess Set, a contemporary expression of one of the world’s most revered games of strategy that transcends cultures and generations, echoing the spirit of hosting and shared experience that defines the marque’s other lifestyle offerings. The chess pieces are ceremoniously unveiled, capturing the same sense of occasion as the arrival of a Rolls-Royce motor car. Handcrafted using the marque’s signature materials and techniques, it offers numerous opportunities for individualisation.

HIDDEN DRAWERS AND MAGNETISED PIECES
The Chess Set was designed to capture a sense of movement: the leather-clad base rises gently from the centre, referencing the waft lines of the marque’s motor cars as it appears to float on its narrow footprint.

The playing board opens in a smooth, single theatrical motion to reveal a leather-lined holder that slowly elevates, presenting the magnetically held pieces – a movement reminiscent of the coach doors opening on a Rolls-Royce motor car. For an effortless experience, magnets hidden beneath the playing surface ensure the pieces remain perfectly aligned during play, lending each move a sense of precision and decisiveness. The design team experimented with six different types of magnets to identify the optimal strength that secures the pieces yet allows them to float effortlessly across the board. A discreet drawer on each side of the board, opened with a light touch, contains an additional queen to take the place of a piece that has been promoted during the game. 

Both the generously sized board and the chess piece holder are framed with polished aluminium edges. A polished aluminium Spirit of Ecstasy emblem is discreetly affixed to the front and back of the Chess Set, signifying its provenance.

Each set is meticulously crafted by hand. The aluminium grid of the board is machine milled, then further refined by hand to achieve the precise definition of the corners – a delicate process, as the fine metal bends easily. The veneer squares are laser cut and then precisely placed on the board by hand. Each of the veneer pieces is crafted from the same log to achieve a consistent pattern in the natural grain, ensuring the wood will age uniformly over the years.

 THE CHESS PIECES: MONOLITHIC FORMS
Every chess piece has been precision-crafted with faceted surfaces, transforming them into sculptural objects in their own right. To create the pieces, the marque’s designers studied the profile of traditional chess pieces, electing to extrude them downward into square bases. Each of the highly sculptural pieces is made of ceramic-coated aluminium, contains a hidden magnet and is crowned with a jewel-like polished stainless-steel head. The weight, solidity and cool-to-the-touch tactility of them are deliberately evocative of the solid-metal organ stops found in Rolls-Royce motor cars — a shared expression of material authenticity and satisfying mechanical engagement. The black chess pieces are given a satin finish, while the white pieces feature a subtle iridescent treatment.

EXQUISITE MATERIALS FROM THE ROLLS-ROYCE PALETTE
The Rolls-Royce Chess Set incorporates the same materials used to craft the interior of the marque’s motor cars. The playing board is available in a choice of four veneer combinations, each arranged to create a diamond pattern when viewed from above. Around the playing surface, a longitudinal grain is used. High-gloss finishes include Blackwood with Ceramic White and Macassar Ebony with Royal Walnut; Open Pore veneer treatments in Smoked Eucalyptus with Paldao and Obsidian Ayous with Blackwood are also available.

Elements of the Chess Set can be individualised to reflect the client’s personal style and the aesthetics of their home. Clients can select from 13 Rolls-Royce leather colours — Cashmere Grey, Phoenix Red, Charles Blue, Forge Yellow, Iceland Moss, Scivaro Grey, Arctic White, Havana, Tailored Purple, Mandarin, Peony Pink, Black, and Lime Green — allowing them to tailor both the exterior and the chess piece holder to their exact requirements.

The Rolls-Royce Chess Set is now available for commission in Rolls-Royce showrooms and Private Office boutiques.