First chess set - Are OK?

Hello to everyone, my name is Agustín and I'm from Argentina. Thanks for your time and the valuable information deposited in this forum.

I am a beginner in chess and so far I've been playing with 2cents plastic/wooden sets. I am looking to buy my first wooden set and, looking at my actual budget, I went to ChessBazaar and found 2 sets that I really liked.

I would like to know what you think or if you have references of them. I'm going to use them mainly for playing at home/friend's home. Eventually I'll try to get into a chess club, but that's not happening right now.

REPRODUCED 1972 REYKJAVIK CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES CHESS PIECES IN ROSEWOOD & BOX WOOD - 3.7" KING
https://www.chessbazaar.com/chess-pieces/reproduced-european-timeless-collection-chess-pieces/reproduced-1972-reykjavik-championship-series-chess-pieces-in-rosewood-box-wood-3-7-king.html

EXCLUSIVE RUSSIAN ZAGREB CHESS PIECES IN SHEESHAM WOOD - 3.9" KING
https://www.chessbazaar.com/exclusive-russian-zagreb-chess-pieces-in-sheesham-wood-3-9-king.html

I would like to know if you have other set in mind. My budget is 100 ~ 130 usd.
Thank you all

Hi! Have you considered taking a look at https://www.royalchessmall.com/ ?

Although with slightly different designs, they tend to have better prices overall for the same quality (as read in this forum), which is excellent.

Take a look at their Zagreb designs, for instance:

https://www.royalchessmall.com/products/3-9-russian-zagreb-59-series-chess-pieces-only-set-weighted-ebonised-wood

For less than 4 dollars more at your max budget, you could even get the craftsman series (which I am looking forward to buy soon):

https://www.royalchessmall.com/products/3-9-craftsman-staunton-chess-pieces-only-set-triple-weight-ebonised-boxwood?_pos=1&_sid=72e86347c&_ss=r

I am in no way affiliated with RCM, just giving my 2 cents.

Hope it helps!

Hi David, thanks for your reply!!! Yes, I saw that site and searched there for some sets, but since I live in Argentina, CB offers free-delivery. BTW, I don't see a great difference in terms of quality, plus that in CB offers a 25% off coupon. That Staunton is nice! But I was looking for dark wood pieces on blacks, since I found in this forum that those dyed pieces tend to decolorize. 

 Oh wow! I didn't knew about the decolorisation of ebonised pieces, thank you for the advice.

If you're not in a hurry, chessbazar usually offers bigger discounts before and after Christmas. Last year it was 35% on orders over 99USD.

Nice info! Thanks

@abalietti and @DavidHL The ebonized stains do fade and become more like "chocolate" over the long term but some including me think that is a desirable patina. For me, I see some of the old Lardy sets from the 40s to the 70s and the faded staining looks very nice. If you don't like then that is cool too.

If you would like a Reykjavik set. Here is one under your budget. I own this one and I am real happy with the purchase.

https://www.royalchessmall.com/collections/antique-reproduction-chess-pieces/products/1972-championship-fischer-spassky-chess-pieces-set-double-weighted-box-wood

Here's one that I have been wanting. It's a Soviet Grandmaster set but it actually is a modified reproduction of the Hastings Congress set. I love how they made the Antiqued Boxwood look.

I don't know but maybe you might like is as well.

https://www.royalchessmall.com/collections/antique-reproduction-chess-pieces/products/1950s-soviet-grandmasters-chess-pieces-only-set-antiqued-boxwood-4-1-king

Here might be another set that you could consider.

https://www.houseofchess.com/wooden-chess-pieces-supreme-staunton-rosewood-boxwood-3-3-4inch.html

House of Chess has had a consistent set price for years I have noticed. Yeah they don't have free shipping unless you spend about $100 but even their shipping cost has been consistent to one price world wide. They also have a really awesome looking Zagreb set as well in their 4 inch range.

https://www.houseofchess.com/rosewood-boxwood-chess-set-pieces-yugo-zagreb-staunton-4-inch-102-mm-2-extra-queens-wooden-storage-box.html

Wow! Thanks both of you for your time and reply. It was really useful . I LOVE all your suggestions. The Chess Empire's Staunton looks really solid. Will think about it...

Thanks for the Rosewood vs Sheesham tip, I didn't knew that their light values may change and show some difference. I will get back to you with my choice

For anyone who finds this thread through search, here's some updated relevant info for some of the vendors discussed.

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/as-of-today
https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/bad-review-experience-with-royalchessmall