Humanity has been obsessed with carving marble for over five thousand years. Some of the most beautiful sculptures in recorded history are fashioned from this metamorphic wonder. Marble also has practical applications. For instance, it is crushed up and used in the production of paper. But, industrial uses of marble pale in comparison to its great ornamental value.



Marble chess sets have graced the table of nobility since the Middle Ages. Its long association with the affluent appreciation of chess has made marble the material of choice for those avid chess enthusiasts who long for the feel of royal privilege while they decimate their opponent.

Some aficionados of marble chess sets prefer them to chess sets constructed from other materials due to marble's inherent mineral properties. Marble is comprised mostly of the crystalline version of calcium carbonate. Calcite, as it is known, doesn't refract light well and therefore, the light hitting it enters further before bouncing away, creating a soft waxen sheen. This effect is what gives the impression that Michelangelo's David could very well put down his discus and head off to the cafeteria for lunch. This “bio-organic” breath of living-beauty gives the distinguished feel of marble a dimension that deserves reflection.

Marble has other characteristics besides stunning visual beauty that manufacturers of quality marble chess sets favor. Marble, in general, doesn't tend to shatter – a good thing to know if you're wielding a hammer and chisel. The resilient nature of marble allows the carving artisan to pursue a multitude of creative directions. Although typically classical in nature, marble chess sets can, and have been, designed in the most inventive styles that would wow even the most jaded collector.

Since the metamorphic process that creates marble occurs all over the planet, marble's impurities and color characteristics vary wildly, thus, marble can be found in such hues as, white, green, blue, pink, gold, brown and black. And within that color structure, the veins of impurities sport their own unique color ranges and fluidic designs.

Which one do you favor? Well, that would be a matter of taste.

For instance, the combination of Ariston and Aleveri Grey marble possesses a traditionally unsullied visual appeal that isn't necessarily dependant on classic design. Another good example of creative color mixing would be Eretria Red and Levadia Black. This marble marriage can give marble chess sets a menacingly ominous undertone and help to intimidate your opponent into making more blunders than usual.

Because of marble's wide appeal, marble chess sets can be found from a wide variety of sources. However, this increased choice contains products better left on the manufacturer's shelves and suppliers with less-than-honorable business practices. Collectors and retail consumers both have to research their purchase to ensure that it is indeed of high quality assembly and design.

Your search for quality marble chess sets will most likely end up online. Again, the choice of suppliers is many and varied, but you might try to find one that provides carefully constructed and beautifully designed marble chess sets.