Official FIDE Chess Set

     Who knew they even had one? The World Chess Set is the official chess set for the 2014 World Championship Match.

     The set was designed by internationally renowned Pentagram designer and architect Daniel Weil. I never heard of him, but he is an architect and industrial designer who was born in Buenos Aires in 1953.
 

    Earlier this year he designed a series of clocks with mechanisms suspended from wires connected to plywood frames that were presented as part of the first museum exhibition of his works at London's Design Museum. I never heard of Pentagram either. Turns out it’s a design firm with offices in London, New York, San Francisco, Austin, and Berlin.
     Back to the pieces: They are based on the proportions of classical Greek architecture (whatever that means) and the classic Staunton design (at least I know what this means!) to make a set that is both distinctive and traditional. This limited edition of the sets has been produced for the 2014 World Chess Championship. It's the only set used by the players (they are probably under the threat of death if they use anything else). The King stands 3.75” high and can be ordered with a 19.5” Rosewood and Maple board. At the moment the only place you can buy the set is from the website or, if you are attending the match, you can buy it there, too. Price for the set and board is $470 (375 Euros) and $320 (255 Euros) without the board. It’s obvious I don’t know anything about modern art and I am not real sophisticated. I prefer this set available from The Chess Store for $12: