Why to buy Luxury Chess Pieces?

For sure, my 3yo kid will have boost of imagination over the roof of tallest building in the world if I buy her French Warrior. However, she has the same imagination with just regular checkers!!!

But my serious question is this: are you happy playing 4-hours regular tournament games with shiny pieces? Will it distract you? Matte finish vs. glossy. Yes glossy would be more resistant to environment changes; but matte will look more 'antique' and 'real' over time. And their matte finish it still glossy enough.

I personally prefer matte finish which for example won't hold finger smudges in real game

And which kind of glossy finish is that, is it UV-Cured 3-layers finish with pore fill, or just lacquer from big box store (HomeDepot) applied by brush?

Thanks,

For Ultra luxury and Art sets: https://purlinglondon.com/product-category/chess/

Im happy to play with them all day. Could be a little distracting in a tournament like can be anything else.

I don't know, I paid something extra before been delivered and they did it for me. I personally love to see them shine. Specially the black pieces. Oh man! In every tournament people come near by and say "nice set". The joy of the game and the look of those pieces don't have price.

Lone Ranger’s horse - Silver

Roy Roger’s horse - Trigger

Britt Ponset’s (Six Shooter played by Jimmy Stewart) horse - Scar

I am personally shocked and amazed that no Chess designer has ever modeled a Knight after any of these great steeds, how rude!

There was a discussion about the desirability of lacquered pieces on this forum a while ago.  IIRC, I  read, specifically for the chessbazaar option, that it is not worth paying for, as it is like having a paint coat on your pieces, and eventually it will chip and start to look bad.  

I have no experience with laquered pieces I'm just trying to remember what was said in the thread.  Maybe I can find it.  I think a member here said that he ordered the laquered pieces more than once but regretted it every time.  I imagine it is like everything painted.  It has the possibility to be scratched or chipped. You can take really good care of your stuff and it might look perfect for years.  But even if you are careful you could drop a piece a week after you get it, and there is a small chip in the finish that isn't very bad, but it bugs you.  And so it goes.

Funny, the thread I was remembering is one I started myself lol

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/chess-bazaar-30-upgrade-for-lacquer

Eyechess and you other "old-ish guys".......You forgot-- FURY.

Btw,I just got a glossed set from C.B. It's their Empire Staunton set and is really nice.The finish is quite hard and I see no issues with damage....unless you throw it against a wall,if you lose.

A real beauty Kev.       Enjoy for a long time.

How to define "luxury chess set"? If too many details, if very heavy or unbalanced, if "luxury" wood patterns such as "premium curly koa", if mage from gold and diamonds, then those pieces are not playable at all; that's why we have "Staunton" since 1848. Luxury "Staunton" exists too, very playable, I like some designs at ChessBazaar (Indian Chetak II, Red Rum): but those are a little on the border of playability, you need more than 60mm board for those.

I am wondering... do you bring your chess-set with you on tournaments? Which kind of club is that which doesn't have their boards and sets?

And note also, small chess looks great and indeed are excellent fro personal use, but space is too tight for two people  that's why we need "staunton" 2.25" boards and 3.75" chess pieces, FIDE standards. So-called "luxury" are mostly 4.2" and higher...

(sorry for weird formatting; it's not me)

Have you noticed their Red Rum knights have ears turned backward? It looks strange; I even googled it - horses do it when very scary or mad of something, when very sick.

I cannot post pictures unfortunately.

https://www.chessbazaar.com/the-cb-red-rum-luxury-staunton-series-chess-pieces-in-bud-rose-box-wood-4-4-king.html

Cheetak II looks more natural.

Go look at a real horse.  That is a more normal position for their ears.

I've got 2 photos and a painting of horses visible from where I'm sitting right now, and the ears are all up and forward.  It is the alert, interested ear position. The classic staunton knights with ears pinned back and teeth showing depict a very angry horse.

"The classic staunton knights with ears pinned back and teeth showing depict a very angry horse" - yes, I now cats do it when very angry. Perhaps to minimize possible damage to ears. 

However, I looked at classic staunton knights and yes, "pinned back", but NOT, ear holes are not looking completely backward! Compare with Red Rum: ears NOT pinned back, ears are vertical, but looks like horse tries to listen sounds from behind. Super strange. 

Nice description here:https://equimed.com/health-centers/behavior/articles/my-mare-pins-her-ears-when-approached-what-can-i-do-to-put-her-in-a-better-mood

Ok; I googled "horse ears pinned" at Google Images, it shows some *amazing* photos, yes, it is natural. Unfortunately I don't have real horse at home

To me the red rum knights look like ears are pointed forward.  Hard to tell since all the pictures are from the side.  But you are right horse have very mobile ears and can turn them to listen to what is behind them.

"A discussion about horses ears." yes; that's correct. Caused by very realistic artisan work showing even horse emotions (in a chess pieces). I appreciate it.

My discussion to myself usually goes

I don't need them

But I want them

They will sit in a box

But I want them

You don't even use the ones you have enough

But I want them

Etc