Wow this topic got quite technical 
I do prefer the 2021 kings's rounded top. I prefer the 2016 rook. It's thick, heavy, and mean looking.
BTW there is an easter egg in the 2021 king. It's not the designers name or the logo bottom. You'd have to have one to see it. 
digispin I implore anyone to re-evaluate one's wisdom if he or she thinks buying modern wooden game pieces is a wise and sound investment opportunity. Hah!
NOJ set's will , As even rarely sold 2nd hand sets hold there value & sell as much as the new ones , So is a modern day classic / Take a look at the waiting list 2025 now !
Due to high interest in our chessmen the manufacture is completely occupied untill the middle of 2025.
+ sets made by Oleg 
digispin I implore anyone to re-evaluate one's wisdom if he or she thinks buying modern wooden game pieces is a wise and sound investment opportunity. Hah!
NOJ set's will , As even rarely sold 2nd hand sets hold there value & sell as much as the new ones , So is a modern day classic / Take a look at the waiting list 2025 now !
Due to high interest in our chessmen the manufacture is completely occupied untill the middle of 2025.
+ sets made by Oleg
I'm not buying this for an investment....what gave you that idea?? It's for playing chess, using, touching, even a getting a scratch here and there. I have no idea what you're talking about with "NOJ", 2025, "Oleg". I think you're talking to the wrong kind of person.
BTW. I collect rare coins and silver. THAT is my hobby/investment.
Pawnerai I implore anyone to re-evaluate one's wisdom if he or she thinks buying modern wooden game pieces is a wise and sound investment opportunity. Hah!
NOJ set's will , As even rarely sold 2nd hand sets hold there value & sell as much as the new ones , So is a modern day classic / Take a look at the waiting list 2025 now !
Due to high interest in our chessmen the manufacture is completely occupied untill the middle of 2025.
+ sets made by Oleg
Was making a comment made by Pawnerai , sorry that your name was mixed in the thread ?
I wish I collect Pokémon 🙁
Oh....apologies to all. I know Yasser Seirawan said he collects [antique] chess sets. I have no idea the extent. Anyway, I'm sure there are other discussions here about that hobby that I can look up to learn a little about it
I could be wrong but I think Michael was referring to the different sets where the same knight is used. Here are a few versions from HoS just off the top of my head:
1. 3.75" Craftsman
2. 3.75 Camaratta Craftsman Cooke
3. 3.625 Camaratta Cooke Luxury and Signature Cooke
4. 2017-2019 Sinquefield Cup
5. 2020-2021 Sinquefield, St. Louis Blitz and Cairns Cup
All 5 above have subtle differences.
That's a bit odd because @TheOneCalledMichael commented when I was specifically talking about the 2 subtle differences between the Sinquefield sets. And he in turn was very specific and used dated sets (20XX) as an example. Which leads one to believe he is talking about the Sinquefield/Rapid&Blitz HoS sets. But whatever. Let's move on.
There are (in my eyes) significant differences in some of those sets you mention. But first and foremost, let's be honest here. These are all classically styled Staunton sets. Aside from the Knight, how much different can you make a classically styled Staunton set? To many people these "differences" are a non-issue. Let's proceed for fun though. Hah!
3.75" Craftsman sets. (not Cooke) This one sets itself apart with the Rook. The Rook is completely different than the other Sinquefield Knight sets with it's high battlements atop the Rook. I'm not a fan of this Rook. Some of the proportions of the pieces are also a bit "off" in my eyes as well, like the stretched Queen crown. This was an easy pass for me.
3.625 Camaratta Craftsman Cooke sets. These have the Rooks with the low battlements. The problem I had with some of the proportions from the 3.75" Craftsman (not Cooke) were "fixed" and look much better. The Sinquefield Knight has a low base to match the other pieces. Very nicely proportioned. Why the heck is the King 3.625 and not 3.75?? Yeah, i know that missing .125" is the thickness of a grain of rice. LOL. Am I insane to mention .125"? Maybe. Let's go on.
3.75 Camaratta Craftsman Cooke sets. Here is where things get interesting for me. The proportions are good. The King is a full 3.75". It's all good so far until you look at the Sinquefield Knight base. It's a high base that does not match the other pieces. What I think HoS did was they took the Knight from the previous 3.625" set and gave it a booster seat for this 3.75" set. Lazy. Just bad. But come on, who is going to notice this?? Me. Sorry HoS.
3.75 Sinquefield Cup / Saint Louis Blitz sets. Aside from the subtle change to the 2021 Kings crown as mentioned, these sets have everything going for it. Full 3.75 kings. Low Knight bases to match the other pieces. Recarved Knight to regain that .125" height for a proportional set without having to use a booster seat base. The first negative I see is the quality in the boxwood being used this year. Did no one else notice that the light side boxwood does not match in some of the sets being used in the tourney? Some pieces are a shade lighter or darker in the same set. During the tournament, I can clearly see the light side boxwood color is slightly off in pieces within the same set on the board during games. The biggest negative? They are all sold out. Hah!!
Now, what will the 2022 HoS Sinquefield set look like? Who knows. Maybe another subtle change? Maybe something completely different like the 2013 Sinquefield Knight set. A change every 5 years? We shall see.
That's a nice overview, but you somehow missed the pawns' stem being quite different: The Sinquefield pawns are narrowing upwards in a straight--making them look quite long and elegant, like the set's King and Queen; while The Camaratta Collection - The Craftsman Cooke Series Luxury Chess Pieces features pawns which first narrow, but from half way get wide again--making them look more bulky and not-so-elegant, imho. The same curvature is present in the pawns of the 3.625" Camaratta Craftsman Cooke set, but it is less notable in that set because those pawns are shorter.
These sets have been on my radar for some time. Does anyone happen to have a picture of the 3.625" Camaratta Craftsman Cooke set and/or one of the 3.75" Camaratta sets on a chess board with square sizes of 50 mm, 2" (51 mm), 2-1/8" (54 mm), or 55 mm? I recently acquired a 2-1/4"-square-size chess board but am considering returning it because it is a bit too large and "airy" around the pieces, for my taste...
These sets have been on my radar for some time. Does anyone happen to have a picture of the 3.625" Camaratta Craftsman Cooke set and/or one of the 3.75" Camaratta sets on a chess board with square sizes of 50 mm, 2" (51 mm), 2-1/8" (54 mm), or 55 mm?
Forum member @Eyechess has the 3.625" Camaratta Signature Series Cooke Luxury Chess Set in Mopane. Pics in the below link. It's been sold out for a while at HoS.
Thanks for the link! Unfortunately, he didn't specify square size. If I were to hazard a guess, I would estimate it to be 2-1/4".
P.S. You did ruin the knight's socket of the 3.75" Camaratta Craftsman Cooke set for me... I hadn't realized before, but you are totally right about it being too large compared to the bases of the other pieces.
Honestly, I think that, of the 3.75" sets, the 2021 Sinquefield looks the best to me. Unfortunately, the Ebony version costs USD 1250... I'd be buying it for the ages, and I would hate the stain wearing of the ebonized pieces after a few years/decades.
So I guess the 3.625" version remains. Now to find out what it looks like on the different square sizes... It is unfortunate that HoS only takes pictures on the airy 2-1/4" square-size-boards.
Or the Steinitz set, which is also kind of nice, and which is photographed on, according to Frank, a board with square size around 50 mm, and thus has the advantage that I know it will look good on such a board.
Honestly, I think that, of the 3.75" sets, the 2021 Sinquefield looks the best to me. Unfortunately, the Ebony version costs USD 1250... I'd be buying it for the ages, and I would hate the stain wearing of the ebonized pieces after a few years/decades.
So I guess the 3.625" version remains...
The 3.625 is long sold out.
If you want an authentic, designed in the USA, Camaratta-Craftsman Knight in Ebony, you currently only have 3 choices:
3.75 Craftsman (ebony) $339
3.75 Craftsman Cooke (ebony) $495
3.75 Commemorative Sinquefield/Rapid Blitz (ebony) $1295. If it's any consolation, this expensive ebony version comes with the patented powdered tungsten weighting system not available in the lower priced version that eliminates cracking. Lifetime guarantee. (Call to confirm) For an ebony set, it's a pretty big deal. There's also the hand-signed certificate by all the GMs at the tournament. And fancy box. Limited to 10 sets. IT IS a lot of money though... there's no sugar coating that.
I have chess pieces from the 1930s with ebonized boxwood that haven't shown any fading or wearing off. The shiny outer finish has seen better days, but the black color is fine. That's 90 years ago.
Or... you can go with a repro from an overseas Indian manufacturer. Not my cup of tea. You're on your own there.
Pawnerai Or... you can go with a repro from an overseas Indian manufacturer. Not my cup of tea. You're on your own there.
Are these's chess set not made in India ?
Pawnerai Or... you can go with a repro from an overseas Indian manufacturer. Not my cup of tea. You're on your own there.
Are these's chess set not made in India ?
Don't be a troll. You're better than that.
Pawnerai Or... you can go with a repro from an overseas Indian manufacturer. Not my cup of tea. You're on your own there.
Are these's chess set not made in India ?
Don't be a troll. You're better than that.
Ok /Thanks - still it's a fact - just how much we willing to spend on a franchise
Retailers do many things for the consumer, such as: building a strong brand that they want to protect (with all the implications for customer service), negotiating prices and quality standards with the manufacturers, making or optimizing the designs based on customer feedback, handling import (for local retailers only, unfortunately), maintaining a website that gives good information and allows convenient browsing of inventory.
But is that worth USD 100? USD 200? 20%? That's complicated...
In this case, I'm ogling the Sinquefield 2021 Player's Edition at House of Staunton specifically, simply because I like the details of the design better than ChessHouse's or ChessBazaar's versions (or HoS's: Sinquefield 2019, Cairns 2020, or Camaratta Craftsman Cooke 3.75"). And because the Camatta Cooke 3.625" seems no longer available. I just wish the Ebony upgrade didn't cost USD 800... 
@Aernout_nl Since your purchase is over $1000 at HoS there is no reason to not purchase a lifetime HoS Club Membership for $100. Among other benefits, it gets you 10% off for life. This is in addition to any other coupon/promo HoS is offering at any given time. Because, well,,, 10% of $1000 purchase covers the $100 membership.
$1295 +$100 for HoS Club Member = $1395 (Ouch, I know, but bear with me)
$1395 (subtract 15% with a readily available coupon code) 1185.75
$1185.75 (subtract additional 10% with Club membership) 1067.18
International Shipping is free.
If you want to wait 2 months, Black Friday is coming (an American shopping holiday). I'm willing to bet there will be a HoS coupon for at least 20%.
The Membership sounds like a good deal in this scenario. Even more so because the Membership itself won't involve importing anything, so there is no 28% VAT+Import Duties on that USD 100, so there is even an additional USD 28 saved. (Unfortunately a rough USD 280 is added to your number for VAT and Duties for the remaining.)
However, I am not sure I can justify for myself spending so much on this set from an economic perspective. I can't see why the set would inherently be twice as valuable as the other ebony sets half it's price.
Pro's:
- There are the signatures of the chess players from the tournament. But it's not like the 2021 Sinquefield Cup is comparable to Bobby Fischer's world championship... (no offence).
- And there is the patented anti-cracking weighting system. The warrenty is still, however, only 1 year according to the actual product page.
- There are only 10 made... For the 2021 edition. But there is a new edition every year, as well as the St. Louis Rapid tournament which is yearly. And even then, the scarcity would only matter this tournament was somehow very special.
Is that worth the hundreds of USD the set is more expensive than the other, nice, House of Staunton ebony sets? It does not seem "special", like Noj sets or antique Jaques sets which seem to me to hold their value much better. Of course we don't buy a set to sell it later, but for my feeling it still kind of matters.
So the remaining question would be whether I personally would enjoy the Ebony version enough to make it worth it to me. But that also brings a great pressure which might spoil the fun by itself.
What do you think? Does the "economic preposition" matter to you when buying chess equipment?
@Aernout_nl In all seriousness, in my opinion, and I might be totally off-base here since I don't know you, if you are having any internal conflict with spending roughly $1100usd (plus VAT on top of that) for a chess set, I don't think you should purchase it. It's really a lot of money for a chess set. I personally wouldn't. That's more than a NOJ. That's roughly the same price as an Oleg Raikis set. Granted, it's his base level, ebonized boxwood, 9cm Staunton set. But it's still Oleg Raikis!
If you have any doubts with the expensive purchase, put it on hold. We've all been there.
I only just realized today that HoS does not advertise their coupon on their site anymore. I wonder how long that has been happening.
Wonder if they didn't like it when chess.com forums take screengrabs of their coupon codes for the sales then posting them here.