Press Articles

CHESS, December 2005

Malcolm Pein, Daily Telegraph Chess Correspondent, reviewed the set in Chess Magazine following his introduction to the Black King.

Henley Standard, 21 October 2005
Trevor's looking for a £5 million checkmate

Trevor Wardle is on a mission. He wants to sell a chess set. Not any old chess set, his comes with a price tag of a cool £5 million!

The former Henley Grammar schoolboy has been brought in by a mystery entrepreneur to market the most expensive chess set in the world.

Each piece is made from 18 carat yellow gold and encrusted with precious stones.

The king alone is worth more than £100,000 and weighs 165.2 grammes. It is decorated with 73 rubies, 146 sapphires and no less than 748 diamonds!

The set’s playing surface is made of yellow and white gold and set with diamonds. The corners are supported by a crystal ball with a gold centre post. Each ball is inlayed with a 16 carat yellow gold spiral of diamonds.

The mystery man behind the chess set has formed a company to market his creation. Jewel Royale is based near Wallingford and commissioned the renowned jewellery company, Boodles, to manufacture the set.

Mr. Wardle said he has no idea who the purchaser might be, but he hinted it may be leaving for oversees. "There has already been interest from the USA," he said. "They are suggesting using the set for a play-off between the best British player and the top American.

"And people in the Middle East are crazy about the game. They are even building a ‘chess city’.

"But it would be nice to keep it in England, and as there are plenty of wealthy people around Henley, it may well find a home here."

If you fancy it as a little stocking-filler, Mr. Wardle can be contacted at trevor.wardle@jewelroyale.com