42.12 F
London
February 8, 2025
PI Global Investments
Silver

How Christofle Makes Its $250,000 Solid Silver Chess Set


Christofle and its subsidiaries have used a variety of hallmarks, from a rooster to a cat’s head, since the Parisian firm was founded in 1830. It employs the knight, one of the most powerful pieces on the chessboard, on the high-quality items it has silver-plated. In a winking nod to that heritage, the company has launched its first game, a chess set called Duel des Thés. 

“We were thinking about how games are booming and what would be Christofle’s interpretation,” Marie Beaussier, the brand’s director of product design, tells Robb Report. “The idea was to have two iconic tea services, Art Nouveau and Art Deco, actually compete.” The resulting set, whose name translates to “duel of teas,” is a playful spin that replaces key pieces with teapots, creamers, cups, and sugar bowls. 

Thomas Jean, Christofle’s director of product development, notes that the method is the same for creating a standard tea service, “but the miniaturization of all the pieces makes each step immensely challenging because if it’s not done well, the silversmith will have to start over.” Instead of relying on machine manufacturing, artisans make each component—plus all the molds and other tools used to produce them—by hand at the brand’s factory in Normandy. 

“The pieces are quite small, from two to seven centimeters, so it adds another level of complexity to the project,” Beaussier says. The 32 chessmen, tiny as they may be, are also fully functional: The mini teapots come complete with hollowed-out spouts and hinged lids and are as detailed as their life-size counterparts. The boards are assembled by Jean-Brieuc Chevalier, a cabinetmaker from Angers, who inlays pin oak with reflective sterling-silver squares. 

The sets, which require six months to produce, are priced at $250,000, and Christofle will make only eight examples. You can see the first edition at Christofle’s store in Harrods, in London, but you can place an order through any of its boutiques. Luckily, winning the set won’t require as much strategy as winning the game itself. “Chess is a lot like silversmithing,” says Beaussier. “It’s demanding, and it takes a long time to become good.” 





Source link

Related posts

MBTA proposes extending Silver Line to Sullivan Square – NBC Boston

D.William

Draymond Green Told Adam Silver He Considered Retirement

D.William

Fortuna Silver Mines Inc (FSM) is higher by 2.41% Monday In Premarket Trading

D.William

Leave a Comment

* By using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website.