First nice chess set

Looking for the wisdom, experience, and knowledge of this forum to inform my decision on purchasing my first nice chess set. I’d like to purchase an heirloom worthy set including the board to play with friends and family around holidays.

The two styles I like are the Dubrovnik and the FIDE WC official set. HoS has the Dubrovnik in Tasmanian blackwood that looks nice for around ~550 shipped, and the WC official set is about the same in price. Any advantages or disadvantages besides style that I may not be taking into consideration? Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

HoS Collector II set...I own it & love it...(and paid much less than the HoS current price years ago!)

https://www.houseofstaunton.com/the-collector-ii-series-luxury-chess-pieces-4-0-king.html

My 2 cents is that if you truly want an heirloom set you're going to own forever and possibly hand down, I would buy an original set over a reproduction.  The WC official will have long term collectable value and interest.  The design will change or completely move on over time and you'll have an original set with its place in chess history.  Original sets have a special sauce when you're holding them that mass produced repros just don't have.  Also, $550 seems like a lot of money for the HOS Dubrovnik repro to me. 

‘Heirloom worthy’ is an interesting concept because it relates to something subjective … of special value to you and your family (that may or may not be of high dollar value)… is essence something special, perhaps with a story that passes from generation to generation.

If you looks at my “five knights of lockdown” thread - I imagine that my children will take all these sets because they will represent a time when ‘dad’ managed though COVID … interestingly none of those sets are hugely ‘expensive’ and the least costly- the Philippines- has the best story and is probably the most heirloom-like.

On the other hand - serious collectors would probably consider a set with historical context and value more heirloom worthy…

In the end - with all the fine and knowledgable opinions on this forum- the value and worthiness comes down to your want, your story, your aesthetic bent … enjoy the search - the depth of options for chess pieces is vast indeed!

For what it’s worth - I reckon an Oleg Raikis set might be an heirloom one day.

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/the-knights-set-by-oleg-raikis

Official FIDE World Championship set is back in stock at ChessBaron, $369usd. It's been out of stock for months. I would certainly grab that set right NOW before the World Championships in November. Do not purchase the set bundled with the 50mm (2") board. The bundled board has nothing to do with the Championships. You can do much better buying a separate 55mm (2.25") board.

Between those two chess sets I'd go with the OFWC because since it's your chess "era" it will have more meaning. 2013 @ Vishy/Magnus WC match in Chennai, India was like a chess version of modern day Ali/Frazier. The HoS Dubrovnik? Sure it's a nice repro set. But do you connect with it? With all that said, both are great sets. Can't go wrong. Good luck! 

Is this just a smaller version of the Official FIDE World Championship set? On ebay:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Official-World-Chess-Club-Studio-Set-Never-used-/203633237643?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l6249&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

 

@QueenClaudia2003  Yes. There are a few versions. If you are interested in that set (or any set for that matter), you really shouldn't be cutting and pasting direct auction links into your post. There are waaaaay more people who read these forums than you think. They just don't post. The set will be swiped out from under you without even a thank you.

79mm King wood.
95mm King wood.
86mm King plastic.

Yes understand that need to try in future just to post pics. I'm personally not too interested as it's out of my price range .

Thanks for the replies so far! A lot of good points that I had not considered, especially with the OFWC. Any thoughts on the matching or bundled boards that you can get on the World Chess website?

I have played with both, still have Dubrovnik from CB. I returned FIDE weighted because of quality issues. I found FIDE pieces handle very well during a play, liked the size of the pawns and  shape of the king. I was able to compare handling of triple weighted V3 Dubrovnik with just weighted FIDE pieces and I prefer latter, I know the difference now. Unfortunately there is not enough distinction between King and the Queen and knight is somewhat controversial. If I may suggest look at review Pawnerai just posted for 2021 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz - House of Staunton chess set, in my opinion is pure classic which will stand the test of time.

The design (or non-design) of the Knights of The Official World Championship set is what you find in the cheapest chess sets.  They are terrible, IMO, for a set of that price.  In fact, for that reason, they clearly go out of their way to avoid showing a profile view of the knights...

https://www.chessbaron.com/product/X2077/

Bottom line - at well over $300USD, the OWC set is extremely overpriced.

For a similar or less price, you might check out the Fischer-Spassky series sets by HoS (with much nicer Knights)...

https://www.houseofstaunton.com/search/?q=fischer%20spassky%20series

Another set that seems to have become popular of late is the recent, and IMO very reasonably priced, wood Ultimate Chess Pieces which replicate the design of the now iconic plastic set of the same name....by Shelby Lorhrman's American Chess Equipment.  The set is appreciated for its durability, weight and overall playability, made to withstand the rigors of everyday play, suitable for use at chess clubs and tournaments...

Ultimate Pieces - wood...

https://amchesseq.com/collections/wooden-chess-pieces/products/ultimate-chess-pieces-ebonized-boxwood-3-75-king?variant=37396554285247

Ultimate Pieces - plastic...

https://amchesseq.com/collections/tournament-style-chess-pieces/products/bobby-fischer-ultimate-chess-pieces-with-new-and-improved-weighting-system?variant=32118482993210

@RussBell - I couldn't agree more. That World Championship set design is garbage IMO.

A real nice set to start with ... not to expensive and available almost everywhere.

@bananamoon do you have any links for that set?

It's similar to this set....

https://www.wholesalechess.com/shop/chess-pieces/wood-chess-pieces/staunton-weighted-wood-chess-pieces-with-extra-queens

Note the "design" of the knight...and the price - cheap - reflective of the quality.  Sets like this come a-dime-a-dozen.

Can never go wrong with this "timeless" german knight set. It was also my first nice wood set (along with a DGT non-electronic board) and I still love it.

Regarding a previous comment about the knights in the world championship set, they're certainly divisive! After being similarly disgusted with them for a long time they're now one of my favorite knight designs of all time.

https://www.chesshouse.com/collections/wood-chess-pieces-ebonized/products/3-75-championship-series-chess-pieces

https://www.houseofstaunton.com/the-championship-series-chess-set-and-board-combination-holder-15054.html

For me, there is a difference between "heirloom quality" and value. I have some good wood sets that I purchased this year. I think my grandchildren will want to keep them. So they are heirlooms. But they will likely not go up in value, at least not to any appreciable extent. The same thing exists, for example, in jewelry: there is a difference between high quality pieces and investment grade pieces.

For good chess pieces, I would also look at offerings by Staunton Castle and The Chess Empire as well. Each sells direct to the consumer. Both companies make high quality chess pieces and used to wholesale - and may still do so - to retail vendors such as House of Staunton. For example, Russ Bell mentioned in post #2 the HOS Collector II Series. Here is an offering of a Collector II set by TCE  Collector II Series. I would probably look elsewhere for boards and storage boxes, though.

I am not suggesting the retailers mentioned in earlier posts are not great to deal with. All I am suggesting is consider what you mean by "heirloom" and to take your time and look around. Also, this forum is filled with in-depth reviews and comments on vendors and sets.

 

@RichardHG - all good advice. 

That's a very nice looking Collector II set from TCE.  The Knights are excellent (as are the rest of the pieces).  And for about the same price that I had paid years ago - a good deal!

As for boards, I purchased (and love!) a nice Brazilian Cherry & Maple custom solid wood board from ColoradoWoodWorker on ETSY....his (Brad Borkowski) boards are very good quality and reasonably priced IMO...

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1055197947/brazilian-cherry-and-maple-drueke-style?ref=shop_home_recs_7&frs=1

Solid Brazilian Cherry & Maple with Walnut border....the pieces are GM Blitz set from Chess Bazaar...note how the board - particularly the cherry - contrasts well with the pieces...

also nice is the Walnut & Maple Drueke-style board...

https://www.etsy.com/listing/546361380/walnut-and-maple-drueke-style-chess?ref=shop_home_recs_3&frs=1&crt=1

https://www.etsy.com/shop/ColoradoWoodWorker?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1073679478

 

You're just to kind