Introduction

Chess is one of the most ancient board games that has been played for centuries by people from all walks of life. Initially chess was primarily played by people from the most noble backgrounds such as Kings, Queens, Dukes and Earls and is commonly known as the game of kings because of the status of the people that played the game and the characteristics of the game itself which mirrors the lifestyle of the royal family. Many of the nobles that played chess would play on exquisitely designed chess board sets made from the most luxurious materials such as gold, silver and Ivory. Before chess became extremely popular among the general public only those that had the skill and resources to make chess board sets could play the game and before the introduction of materials like plastic most people that had the ability to make chess board sets would use materials such as wood and stone as they were much more accessible.

Today chess board sets are mostly created from materials such as wood, plastic and resin although crystal and metal chess board sets are also very popular. The type of materials used to make chess board sets will not affect the quality of the chess game or the skill of the chess player although playing chess on unique and stylish chess boards can definitely add more excitement to the game. In this article I will be showcasing some of the best marble, ceramic and porcelain chess board sets that are both stylish and affordable. Marble, ceramic and Porcelain are great materials to make chess board sets with as they are very aesthetically pleasing and can be easily sculpted to make detailed figurines. One of the major disadvantages of porcelain, ceramic and marble as a material is that as they are harder stones they tend to be quite brittle and can be damaged much easier than materials such as wood, plastic and metal.

1. Sea Collection Handcrafted Porcelain Chess Set

The sea collection handcrafted porcelain chess set is a one of a kind chess set that was created by KernowStudio and is inspired by marine life and marine mythology. KernowStudio is an artist that primarily creates porcelain and ceramic art and jewellery centred around nature. The chess pieces in the set are designed in the traditional light and dark colour scheme with white porcelain for the light chess pieces and blue grey porcelain for the dark chess pieces. Each chess piece in the sea collection handcrafted porcelain chess set is crafted from porcelain and resin and finished with a felt bottom to protect the chess board from scratches during chess games. The king is portrayed as a male mermaid also known as MerKing and the queen is portrayed as a female mermaid also known as a MerQueen. The rooks in the sea collection handcrafted porcelain chess set are represented as sea corals, the bishops are represented as sea squids, the knights are represented as seahorses and the pawns are represented as sea prawns. The chess board is crafted from epoxy resin in transparent blue and black and has various beach items embedded randomly into the transparent blue squares. There are various chess board styles to choose from which includes straight edged transparent blue and black, straight edged traditional black and white, straight edged light blue and marbled white, curve edged grey and marbled white and curve edged light blue and marbled white. The sea collection handcrafted porcelain chess set is an excellent choice for chess enthusiasts and chess board set collectors in search of a stylish and unique chess set who also has an interest in marine life and mythology.

 2. LLADRÓ Medieval Porcelain Chess Set

The LLADRO medieval porcelain chess set is a uniquely designed handmade chess board set that’s crafted from the highest quality porcelain and wood by expert artisans in Valencia, Spain. The chess pieces in the set are designed in the traditional light and dark colour scheme with white porcelain for the light chess pieces and blue grey porcelain for the dark chess pieces. Each chess piece in the LLADRO medieval porcelain chess set is hand sculpted from porcelain, hand painted and finished with a gloss to produce a lavish shine. The chess pieces in the LLADRO medieval porcelain chess set are extremely detailed and portrays the typical medieval royal court which includes a king fitted with an elongated crown, a queen fitted with a slightly shorter elongated crown, bishops who are represented as priests, knights that are portrayed as horses, castles that are represented as towers and pawns that are portrayed as soldiers decorated with battle armour and swords. The colour scheme of the chess pieces are glossy white and glossy light blue. The chess board is expertly crafted from wood, designed in the traditional light and dark colour scheme with beige and black interior squares and has a built in storage cabinet for each of the chess pieces in the set. The LLADRO medieval porcelain chess set is an excellent choice for chess enthusiasts with an interest in medieval history as well as chess board set collectors in search of a unique porcelain and wood chess board set to add to their collection.

 3. Hand Carved Marble Chess Set By Marbletree

The hand carved marble chess set is a beautiful chess board set that’s crafted from pure high quality marble by the family brand Marbletree that specialises in creating marble and slate home and kitchen products. The chess pieces in the set are designed in the traditional light and dark colour scheme with white marble for the light chess pieces and black marble for the dark chess pieces. The chess board and each chess piece within the set are hand carved by skilled artisans and finished with polish to produce an elegant shine. The hand carved marble chess set is designed in the traditional light and dark colour scheme with black and white interior squares which is made from solid marble. The chess pieces in the hand carved marble chess set are extremely detailed and portrays the royal court which includes a king that’s designed with the traditional cross for a crown, a queen that’s designed with the traditional open styled crown, bishops that are styled with the traditional bishops mitre, knights that are portrayed as horses, rooks that are styled as traditional miniature towers and traditionally designed pawns with spherical tops. The king is the largest chess piece in the set and is 8cm in height whilst the pawn is the smallest chess piece in the set and is 6cm in height. The chess board is 38cm in length and 38cm in width. The chess pieces and chess board are fairly heavy as they are both created from solid marble. The hand carved marble chess set by Marbletree is the ideal chess board set for chess enthusiasts and chess board set collectors in search of a traditionally designed marble chess board set.

4. SPEXXI Onyx and White Marble Luxurious Handmade Chess Set 15”

The SPEXXI onyx and white marble luxurious handmade chess set is a unique and extravagant marble chess board set that’s masterfully crafted from solid marble by skilled artisans. The chess pieces in the set are designed in the traditional light and dark colour scheme with onyx dark red for the dark chess pieces and white marble for the light chess pieces. Each chess piece in the chess set is hand carved, extremely detailed and uniquely designed so that each chess piece is unlike any other in the set. The chess board set is designed in the traditional light and dark colour scheme in onyx dark red and marble white and later polished to produce a lavish shine. The chess board is crafted from solid marble with onyx dark red and white marble interior squares perfectly matching the individual chess pieces in the set. The chess pieces in the SPEXXI onyx and white marble chess set resembles the traditional royal court with a king that’s fitted with a cross for a crown, a queen that’s designed with an open styled crown, bishop’s that are styled with the traditional bishops mitre, knights that are represented as horses, castles that are portrayed as miniature towers and the traditional pawns with spherical tops. The chess board is 38.1cm in length, 38.1cm in width, 2cm in depth and weighs approximately 8 kg making it less ideal for travel but perfect for home entertainment as well as home décor. The SPEXXI onyx and white marble luxurious handmade chess set is perfect for chess enthusiasts and chess board set collectors in search of a luxurious and elegantly designed traditional marble chess board set.

5. SPEXXI Oceanic and White Luxurious Marble Handmade Chess Set 15”

The SPEXXI oceanic and white luxurious marble handmade chess set is a true chess players ideal chess set that’s expertly crafted from solid marble by skilled artisans. Each chess piece in the chess set is hand carved from solid marble, extremely detailed and uniquely designed so that each chess piece differs from the other chess pieces in the set. The SPEXXI oceanic and white luxurious marble handmade chess set is designed in the traditional light and dark colour scheme in oceanic grey and white and polished to produce a lavish shine. The chess board is masterfully crafted from solid marble with oceanic grey and white interior squares and an oceanic grey exterior. The colour scheme of the chess pieces in the set perfectly complements the colour scheme of the chess board. The chess pieces in the SPEXXI oceanic and white luxurious marble handmade chess set resembles the traditional royal court with a king that’s decorated with the traditional cross for a crown, a queen that’s decorated with an open styled crown, bishops that are styled with the traditional bishop’s mitre, knights that are represented as horses, rooks that resemble miniature medieval towers and the traditional styled pawns with spherical tops. The chess board is 38.1cm in length, 38.1cm in width, 2cm in depth and weighs approximately 8kg making it less ideal for travel but perfect for home entertainment as well as home décor. The SPEXXI oceanic and white luxurious marble handmade chess set is an excellent choice for chess enthusiast and chess board set collectors in search of a luxurious marble chess board set that’s traditionally and elegantly designed.  

6. SPEXXI Black Crystal Marble and Fossil luxurious Handmade Chess Set 15”

The SPEXXI black crystal marble and fossil luxurious handmade chess set is a uniquely designed chess board set that’s masterfully hand crafted from solid crystal marble and fossil stone by expert artisans. The chess pieces in the set are designed in the traditional light and dark colour scheme with black crystal marble for the dark chess pieces and fossil stone for the light chess pieces. Each chess piece in the set is handcrafted, extremely detailed and uniquely designed so that each chess piece is slightly different from the other chess pieces in the set. The SPEXXI black crystal marble and fossil luxurious handmade chess set is designed in the traditional light and dark colour scheme in black crystal marble and fossil stone and finished with polish to produce a lavish shine. The chess board consists of a black crystal marble exterior and black crystal marble and fossil stone interior squares that perfectly complements the chess pieces in the set. The chess pieces in the SPEXXI black crystal marble and fossil luxurious handmade chess set resembles the traditional medieval royal court with a king that’s decorated with the traditional cross for a crown, a queen that’s decorated with an open styled crown, bishops that are styled with the traditional bishop’s mitre, knights that are represented as horses, rooks that resemble miniature medieval towers and the traditional styled pawns with spherical tops. The chess board is 38.1cm in length, 38.1cm in width, 2cm in depth and weighs approximately 9kg which it makes it less ideal for travel but perfect for home entertainment as well as home décor. The SPEXXI black crystal marble and fossil luxurious handmade chess set is the ideal chess board set for chess enthusiasts and chess board set collectors in search of a traditional, stylish and luxurious marble chess board set.

7. Radicaln White And Dark Brown Luxurious Marble Handmade Chess Set 15”

The Radicaln white and dark brown luxurious marble handmade chess set is an exquisitely designed chess board set that’s hand crafted from solid marble by expert artisans. The chess pieces in the set are designed in the traditional light and dark colour scheme with beige marble for the light chess pieces and dark brown marble for the dark chess pieces. Each chess piece is hand crafted from solid marble, extremely detailed, fitted with a felt bottom to protect the chess board from scratches during chess games and finished with polish to produce a lavish shine. The chess board is also hand crafted from pure marble and consists of a beige exterior with beige and dark brown interior squares that perfectly match the chess pieces in the set. The chess pieces in the Radicaln white and dark brown luxurious marble handmade chess set resembles the traditional medieval royal court and includes a king decorated with the traditional cross for a crown, a queen that’s styled with the traditional open styled crown, bishops that are styled with spherical tops without the traditional bishop’s mitre, knights that are portrayed as horses, rooks that resemble miniature medieval towers and the traditional styled pawns with small spherical tops. The king is the largest chess piece in the set and is 3.5 inches in height, the queen is 3 inches in height, the knights, bishops and rooks are 2.75 inches in height and the pawns are 2.25 inches in height. The chess board is 15 inches by 15 inches, weighs approximately 8kg and comes fitted with a felt bottom which prevents the chess board from scratching any surface it comes into contact with. The Radicaln white and dark brown luxurious marble handmade chess set is the ideal chess board set for chess enthusiasts and chess board set collectors in search of a stylish and traditionally designed marble chess board set.

8. Radicaln Black and White Luxurious Marble Handmade Chess Set 15”

The Radicaln black and white luxurious marble handmade chess set is a skilfully designed chess board set that’s masterfully crafted from solid marble by expert artisans. The chess pieces in the set are designed in the traditional light and dark colour scheme with grey marble for the dark chess pieces and white marble for the light chess pieces. Each chess piece is hand crafted from solid marble, extremely detailed, fitted with a felt bottom to protect the chess board from scratches during chess games and finished with polish to produce a lavish shine. The chess board is hand crafted from pure solid marble and consists of a black marble exterior with black and white interior squares that complements the colour scheme of the chess pieces in the set nicely. The chess pieces in the Radicaln black and white luxurious marble handmade chess set resembles the traditional Asian medieval royal court with an additional historical twist, an elephant is used instead of the traditional bishop and a king’s advisor/minister is used instead of a queen which was common in older versions of chess such as chaturanga. The chess pieces in the Radicaln black and white luxurious marble handmade chess set includes a king decorated with the traditional Asian styled crown, an advisor decorated with the traditional advisors headdress, elephants instead of bishops, knights that are represented as horses, pyramid shaped rooks and pawns that are portrayed as soldiers wearing monk styled gowns. The king is the largest chess piece in the set and is 3.75 inches in height, the queen is the second largest chess piece in the set and is 3.25 inches in height, the knights are the third largest chess pieces in the set and are 2.75 inches in height, the bishops/elephants and rooks are the fourth largest chess pieces in the set and are 2.5 inches in height and the pawns are the smallest chess pieces in the set that are 2.25 inches in height. The chess board is 15 inches in length and 15 inches in width, weighs approximately 8kg and is also fitted with a felt bottom which prevents the chess board from scratching any surfaces it comes into contact with. The Radicaln black and white luxurious marble handmade chess set is perfect for chess enthusiasts with an interest in the history of chess as well as chess board set collectors in search of a stylish and luxurious marble chess board set.

9. Radicaln Black and Fossil Coral Luxurious Marble Handmade Chess Set 15”

The Radicaln black and fossil coral luxurious marble handmade chess set is a masterfully designed chess board set that’s skilfully crafted from solid marble by expert artisans. The chess pieces in the set are designed in the traditional light and dark colour scheme with black marble for the dark chess pieces and fossil coral for the light chess pieces. Each chess piece is handcrafted from solid marble, extremely detailed, fitted with a felt bottom to protect the chess board from scratches during chess games and finished with polish to produce a lavish shine. The chess board is handcrafted from solid marble and consists of a black marble exterior and black marble and fossil coral interior squares that perfectly matches the colour scheme of the individual chess pieces in the set. The chess pieces in the Radicaln black marble and fossil coral luxurious marble handmade chess set resembles the traditional medieval royal court and includes a king decorated with the traditional cross for a crown, a queen that’s decorated with the traditional open styled crown, bishops that are styled with spherical tops without the traditional bishops mitre, knights that are represented as horses, rooks that resemble miniature medieval towers and the traditional styled pawns with small spherical tops. The king is the largest chess piece in the set and is 3 inches in height, the queen is the second largest chess piece in the set and is 2.75 inches in height, the bishops, knights and rooks are the third largest chess pieces in the set and are 2.5 inches in height and the pawns are the smallest chess pieces in the set standing at 2 inches in height. The chess board is 15 inches in length and 15 inches in width, weighs approximately 8 kg and is fitted with a felt bottom which prevents the chess board from scratching any surface it comes into contact with. The Radicaln black and fossil coral luxurious marble handmade chess set is excellent for chess enthusiasts and chess board set collectors in search of a stylish and traditionally designed marble chess board set.

10. Radicaln White and Grey Oceanic Luxurious Marble Handmade Chess Set 15”

The Radicaln white and grey oceanic luxurious marble handmade chess set is a brilliantly designed marble chess set that’s skilfully crafted from solid marble by expert artisans. The chess pieces in the set are designed in the traditional light and dark colour scheme with white marble for the light chess pieces and grey oceanic marble for the dark chess pieces. Each chess piece in the set is handcrafted from solid marble, extremely detailed, fitted with a felt bottom to protect the chess board from scratches during chess games and finished with polish to produce a lavish shine. The chess board is handcrafted from solid marble and consists of a white marble exterior with white marble and oceanic grey marble interior squares that perfectly matches the colour scheme of the individual chess pieces in the set. The chess pieces in the Radicaln white and grey oceanic luxurious marble handmade chess set resembles the traditional medieval royal court and includes a king decorated with the traditional cross for a crown, a queen that’s decorated with the traditional open styled crown, bishops that are styled with spherical tops without the traditional bishops mitre, knights that are represented as horses, rooks that resemble miniature medieval towers and the traditional styled pawns with small spherical tops. The king is the largest chess piece in the set and is 3.5 inches in height, the queen is the second largest chess piece in the set and is 3 inches in height, the bishops, knights and rooks are the third largest chess pieces in the set and are 2.75 inches in height and the pawns are the smallest chess pieces in the set standing at 2.25 inches in height. The chess board is 15 inches in length, 15 inches in width, weighs approximately 8kg and is fitted with a felt bottom which prevents the chess board from scratching any surface it comes into contact with. The Radicaln white and grey oceanic luxurious marble handmade chess set is perfect for chess enthusiasts and chess board set collectors in search of an elegantly and traditionally designed marble chess board set.

11. Radicaln Green Onyx and White Luxurious Marble Handmade Chess Set 15”

The Radicaln green onyx and white luxurious marble handmade chess set is a marvellously designed chess board set that’s exquisitely handcrafted from solid marble by expert artisans. The chess pieces in the set are designed in the traditional light and dark colour scheme with green onyx for the dark chess pieces and white marble for the light chess pieces. Each chess piece in the set is handcrafted from solid marble, extremely detailed, fitted with a felt bottom to protect the chess board from scratches during chess games and finished with polish to produce a lavish shine. The chess board is handcrafted from solid marble and consists of a green onyx exterior with green onyx and white interior squares that perfectly matches the colour scheme of the individual chess pieces in the set. The chess pieces in the Radicaln green onyx and white luxurious marble handmade chess set resembles the traditional medieval royal court and includes a king decorated with the traditional cross for a crown, a queen decorated with the traditional open styled crown, bishops that are decorated with spherical tops without the traditional bishops mitre, knights that are represented as horses, rooks that are portrayed as miniature medieval towers and the traditional styled pawns with small spherical tops. The king is the largest chess piece in the set and is 3.5 inches in height, the queen is the second largest chess piece in the set and is 3 inches in height, the bishop, knight and rook are the third largest chess pieces in the set and are 2.75 inches in height and the pawns are the smallest chess pieces in the set standing at 2.25 inches in height. The chess board is 15 inches in length, 15 inches in height, weighs approximately 8kg and is fitted with a felt bottom which prevents the chess board from scratching any surface it comes into contact with. The Radicaln green onyx and white luxurious marble handmade chess set is an excellent chess board set for chess enthusiasts and chess board set collectors in search of a luxurious, traditionally designed marble chess board set.

12. Radicaln Black and Gold Luxurious Marble Handmade Chess Set 15”

The Radicaln black and gold luxurious marble handmade chess set is a beautifully designed chess board set that’s elegantly handcrafted from solid marble by expert artisans. The chess pieces in the set are designed in the traditional light and dark colour scheme with black marble for the dark chess pieces and gold marble for the light chess pieces. Each chess piece in the set is handcrafted from solid marble, extremely detailed, fitted with a felt bottom to protect the chess board from scratches during chess games and finished with polish to produce a lavish shine. The chess board is handcrafted from solid marble and consists of a black marble exterior with black marble and gold marble interior squares that perfectly matches the colour scheme of the individual chess pieces in the set. The chess pieces in the Radicaln black and gold luxurious marble handmade chess set resembles the traditional medieval royal court and includes a king decorated with the traditional cross for a crown, a queen decorated with the traditional open styled crown, bishops that are decorated with spherical tops without the traditional bishops mitre, knights that are portrayed as horses, rooks that resemble miniature medieval towers and the traditional styled pawns with small spherical tops. The king is the largest chess piece in the set and is 3.5 inches in height, the queen is the second largest chess piece in the set and is 3 inches in height, the bishops and knights are the third largest chess pieces in the set and are 2.75 inches in height, the rook is the fourth largest chess piece in the set and is 2.5 inches in height and the pawns are the smallest chess pieces in the set standing at 2.25 inches in height. The chess board is 15 inches in length, 15 inches in width, weighs approximately 8kg and is fitted with a felt bottom which prevents the chess board from scratching any surface it comes into contact with. The Radicaln black and gold luxurious marble handmade chess set is perfect for chess enthusiasts and chess board set collectors in search of an elegant and traditionally designed marble chess board set.

13. Handmade Ceramic Collection Chess Set

The handmade ceramic collection chess set is a wonderfully designed chess board set that’s skilfully hand crafted from ceramic by LaHornera Ceramica. The chess pieces in the handmade ceramic collection are designed in the traditional light and dark colour scheme with white ceramic for the light chess pieces and black ceramic for the dark chess pieces. Each chess pieces in the set adheres to the principles of minimalist art and is hand crafted from ceramic, hand painted, well detailed and finished with polish to produce a lavish shine. The chess board is handcrafted from solid wood and consists of black wood burnt and white painted alternating squares that complements the chess pieces in the set nicely. The chess pieces in the handmade ceramic collection chess set resembles the traditional medieval royal court and includes a cylindrical shaped king decorated with the traditional cross for a crown, a cylindrical shaped queen decorated with a partitioned semi-circle styled crown, a cylindrical shaped bishop decorated with a small spherical top, a cylindrical shaped knight decorated with vertically aligned ridges on top, small cylindrical shaped rooks that resemble miniature medieval towers and small cylindrical shaped pawns. The king and queen are the largest chess pieces in the set and are 7cm in height and 2.5cm in width and the pawns are the smallest chess pieces in the set and are 3cm in height and 2cm in width. The chess board is approximately 34.5cm in length and 34.5cm in width. The handmade ceramic collection chess set is excellent for chess enthusiasts and chess board set collectors in search of a stylish ceramic chess board set that’s designed in a minimalist fashion.

14. Handmade Ceramic Duncan Medieval Chess Set

The handmade ceramic Duncan medieval chess set is a brilliantly designed chess board set that’s masterfully hand crafted from ceramic by BayLeavesBohem. The chess pieces in the handmade ceramic Duncan medieval chess set are designed in the traditional light and dark colour scheme with green ceramic for the dark chess pieces and white ceramic for the light chess pieces. Each chess piece in the set is handcrafted from ceramic, hand painted, extremely detailed, finished with polish to produce a lavish shine and is available in various colours which includes green and white, brown and white, black and white, red and white, purple and white and turquoise and white. The chess board is handcrafted from MDF (medium density fibreboard) wood, coated with epoxy resin to produce a polished finish and is also available in a variety of colours which includes brown and white and multi-coloured and white. The chess board consists of a black epoxy exterior with white and brown or white and multi-coloured interior squares with imprinted leaf patterns. The chess pieces in the handmade ceramic Duncan medieval chess set resembles the traditional medieval royal court and includes a figurine of the face of a king decorated with a crown, a figurine of the face of a queen decorated with a slanted crown, a figurine of the face of a bishop decorated with the traditional bishops mitre, a figurine of a knight styled as a horse, a figurine of a rook that resembles a miniature medieval tower and figurines of pawns portrayed as soldiers wearing the traditional soldiers head guard. The king is the largest chess piece in the set and is 10cm in height and 3.5cm in width and the pawns are the smallest chess pieces in the set which are 7cm in height and 3.5cm in width. The chess board is 14 inches in length and 14 inches in width and the total weight of the chess set is approximately 1kg. The handmade ceramic Duncan medieval chess set is perfect for chess enthusiasts with an interest in medieval history as well as chess board set collectors in search of a stylish, traditionally designed ceramic chess set.

Conclusion

Chess has been admired by people from all walks of life for centuries and numerous materials have been used to make chess board sets which includes precious metals and crystals such as gold, silver, platinum, jade, amethyst and quartz. Today some of the most common materials that are used for making chess board sets are wood, plastic, acrylic, metal, resin, marble, porcelain and ceramic. In this article I’ve reviewed some of the best marble, porcelain and ceramic chess board sets on the market which are both luxuriously designed and affordable. Although chess can be played on any type of chess board and the type of chess board set that’s used to play chess may not directly impact your ability to play chess, playing chess on unique chess board sets can certainly add some excitement to your games and is a great way to encourage irregular chess players to play chess more often.

Marble, Porcelain and Ceramic are great materials to use for making chess board sets as they tend to produce some of the most aesthetically pleasing and strong chess board sets which are great for both home entertainment purposes as well as home décor. Marble, Porcelain and Ceramic chess board sets are also great gifts to give to loved ones that regularly play chess as well as those that may not be huge fans of chess. The typical wooden and plastic chess board sets are usually the most widely used chess sets as they tend to be the most widely accessible and it can often times be difficult to find high quality Porcelain, Marble and Ceramic chess sets especially in physical stores. The chess sets mentioned in this article are great for anyone that’s looking for a quality Porcelain, Marble or Ceramic chess set whether you’re in search of a traditionally designed chess set or a chess set that’s unique.