Help me decide on a set

I'm debating between two sets and thought maybe some of you could help me out!

Set 1 https://www.chessbaron.com/chess-X2080.htm

I like:

the beautiful color of the wood

dramatic knights

Not sure about:

more expensive

haven't seen much feedback on Chess Baron - does anyone here have experiences?

rook shape is "meh"

Alternatively, set 2 https://www.chessbazaar.com/the-california-chrome-staunton-series-chess-set-in-bud-rose-box-wood-4-1-king.html

I like:

cheaper

each piece has a nice shape

Not sure about:

ChessBazaar seems to have quality issues based on some posts here

color looks nice in the pictures, but I wonder if it will be lighter than I want in physical form. Bud rose tends to look lighter than this with other manufacturers (or other lighting?), and I prefer the dark brown anyways. Can anyone comment on whether the CB pictures accurately portray color?

not convinced of the triple rings on the bottom, especially on pawns

I know it's ultimately up to me but I'd be very appreciative of your thoughts!

Not sure what the rules are in Canada, but here in the US, the USCF only allows "Staunton" style sets to be used at tournaments.  I know a guy that has the most beautiful sets you have seen, and he brings them to the club.  He runs into the occasional opponent who will not play on it for offically rated games.  I ask this because im curious if this will be a set for your personal use, or for tournaments?

Agreed, but like i said, we have a guy at our club that brings his ridiculously nice sets.  Just wanted to make sure :-)

Maybe because I am a TD, certified, but all the sets I bring are tournament legal.  And I bring a lot of different and nice sets to our club for rated play.

The sets he considers are both Staunton design enough to be legal.  Perhaps your local TD is being harsh in his considerations.

As to the OP I think you would be happier with the Chess Baron set.  You have more things you like about that set.  

Thanks for the responses!

FishEyedFools: I'm planning to have this set for just personal use.

AlkinKing: I see your point about going cheaper. Just worried about having to deal with a quality control issue. I checked out HoS as well as the other big sellers, but none of them have the type of aggressive knights like in these two sets (or if they do it is wildly expensive).
Eyechess: I do like the Chess Baron set quite a bit... Mainly hesitating because I haven't seen any reviews of that retailer on these forums or elsewhere.

@joelthefox I orded from Chess Baron before. I have no complains. The order is without damage and it's very beautiful. Official Staunton also has the Sheffield: https://www.officialstaunton.com/products/sheffield-rosewood-chess-pieces

I bought these chess pieces from CB last year when they were running their holiday sale. Let me tell you about my experience with CB. They're based in India, but ship surprisingly fast and their customer service is phenomenal. Yeah, have read some bad reviews, but somehow, all my experiences with them are satisfactory. The craftsmanship is beautiful and the color and grain of the wood is really attractive. I would recommend to hunt around a bit on their website, they recently launched very nice sets. You can get spectacular pieces with a lot of craftsmanship at very fair prices. So, it is worth to invest a little time because they have a huge range of wooden chess sets and most likely you'll be using them all your life! If you buy pieces and boards separately, remember to check that they fit properly.

I'd recommend going for the lacquer one, it looks elegant and at the same time, it will prevent your pieces from oxidation. I now regret why I not ordered with lacquer finish. It is highly recommendable, considering the value for the money. The only downside of CB is that they ship replacements via India Post which usually takes 8-13 days to reach the destination. But Chess Bazaar does not charge for replacement or postage, unlike other chess manufacturers. I've attached some pictures of my set for your reference.

Good Luck!

@torrubirubi Hmm, maybe I will come to that opinion later, but right now I feel the regular knights look too bland!
@Robert_Philley Thanks for the pictures, that is very helpful! The black side appears to have more red than the website pictures let on. And by chance it seems you have the board from Chess Baron! 

Bought a set and board from Chess Baron. Board had small rough area on one square and one boxwood queen had a fine dark split about half an inch long. I kept them. Two months later the square is splitting and lifting up. Chess Baron said it looked like someone took a kitchen knife to it. I agreed, that is what it looks like. I guess he's saying that I damaged the board myself. Ive received no offer from him to make his defective sale right.  Lesson learned. Talk is cheap. Er uhhh......I guess its cheap for the one doing the talking. It wasnt so cheap for the one whose credit card was charged.  I would not recommend Chess Baron but maybe I'm the only one who had a negative experience. I wish I would have shopped around. I'll fix the board myself.  Thanks Chess Baron

Mixed review on Chess Baron from me..... Bit of a rollercoaster ride! 

Initially.... helpful on the phone, but was quick to point out he was extremely busy and couldn’t talk long (fair enough I guess, it was a busy time of year). 

Cheap (£99) solid wood board arrived with poor workmanship and a scratch on the corner - ChessBaron said it was absolutely fine, all their boards looked like that and dismissed me pretty easily. 

Didn’t seem to want to engage in conversation about it, and just told me to return it (there was a strong vibe of not wanting to deal with me). 

ChessBaron wouldn’t pay the return shipping, even though the board was damaged. If I showed you the text messages, I think you’d agree that they come across really rude and flippant. 

The one good thing here, is the refund was done EXCEPTIONALLY quick. I mean, less than an hour after receiving the package back - So kudos in that department (the shipping out was also very quick). 

The board was poor quality, and in reflection, the pieces were also pretty poor. 

I think it’s one of those places where if you receive products you are happy with, you probably love the overall experience (quick shipping, decent prices). 

But after my experience, I couldn’t recommend them I’m afraid. 

He kept giving me the runaround. When I started to get more direct he said that he was going to take care of it but he didnt like my attitude so he decided he wasnt going to work with me anymore. BTW I ripped the felt from the bottom of the "solid wood" board I purchased. It was plywood with hardwood veneer. Earlier he had sworn that it wasnt veneer, it was solid hardwood.  He is a conman and will try to piss you off and then use that as an excuse for not being honest.  I am so glad I only spent $299 instead of the $600 I was thinking about spending.