Rolls-Royce has made its most unexpected move yet, and it’s straight out of a grandmaster’s playbook. The historic British company unveils a bespoke luxury chess set that redefines the game in unmistakable Rolls-Royce style, swapping engine purrs for quiet intensity on the chessboard. Handcrafted with the same obsessive attention to detail as its automobiles, each piece is a work of art, moulded from beautiful materials and finished to perfection. From the hefty feel of a rook in your palm to the sheen of a polished knight, every detail exudes refinement. It’s not just about winning; it’s about playing with grace, patience, and the undeniable satisfaction of making the right move.
Hidden Drawers and Magnetised Pieces
The Chess Set has been to created to convey a sense of movement: the leather-clad base rises softly from the middle, recalling the flowing lines of the marque’s automobiles while appearing to hover on its compact footprint. The playing board unfolds in a smooth, single theatrical action to expose a leather-lined holder that gradually lifts, revealing the magnetically held pieces – a movement reminiscent of the coach doors opening on a Rolls-Royce automobile. Magnets concealed beneath the playing surface keep the pieces perfectly aligned during play, giving each move accuracy and decisiveness. The design team experimented with six different types of magnets to determine the best strength for securing the pieces while allowing them to float freely across the board. A unobtrusive drawer on each side of the board, unlocked with a simple touch, houses an extra queen to replace a piece that was promoted during the game. Both the large board and the chess piece holder are framed with polished metal edges. A polished aluminium Spirit of Ecstasy insignia is tastefully attached to the front and rear of the Chess Set, indicating its origins. Each set is skilfully made by hand.
The board’s aluminium grid is machined before being manually polished to obtain accurate corner definition (a delicate procedure due to the fine metal’s tendency to bend). The veneer squares are laser cut before being hand-placed exactly on the board. Each veneer piece is cut from the same log to create a consistent pattern in the natural grain, ensuring that the wood ages uniformly over time.
Aluminium Craftsmanship in Every Move
Each chess piece has been meticulously sculpted with faceted surfaces, making it into a sculptural item in its own right. To construct the pieces, the marque’s designers researched the profile of traditional chess pieces before extruding them downward into square bases. Each of the extremely sculptural pieces is made of ceramic-coated aluminium, has a concealed magnet, and is finished with a jewel-like polished stainless-steel head. Their weight, firmness, and cool-to-the-touch tactility are purposefully reminiscent of the solid-metal organ stops found in Rolls-Royce automobiles, expressing a similar sense of material authenticity and pleasurable mechanical connection. The black chess pieces are satin finished, while the white pieces have a faint iridescent touch.
Exquisite Materials
The Rolls-Royce Chess Set uses the same materials as the marque’s automobile interiors. The playing board is offered in an Open Pore veneer treatment that combines Obsidian Ayous and Blackwood, organised in a diamond pattern when viewed from above. Elements of the Chess Set can be customised to match the client’s unique taste and the aesthetics of their home. Clients can choose from 13 Rolls-Royce leather colours, including Cashmere Grey, Phoenix Red, Charles Blue, Forge Yellow, Iceland Moss, Scivaro Grey, Arctic White, Havana, Tailored Purple, Mandarin, Peony Pink, Black, and Lime Green, to customise both the exterior and the chess piece holder to their exact specifications.
