Staunton Chess Pieces Luxe Legionnaires Staunton Chess sets and chess pieces come in all shapes and sizes. While some pieces can be elaborately carved with incredibly detail, often the most popular style set are those that are beautiful, clean, traditional chessmen. Still, there are dozens, if not hundreds, of choices. Depending on size, style, and wood, you can spend from hundreds to thousands on chess pieces - and that's not even considering the chess board! Today we're looking at the Lux Legionnaires Staunton - a classic, jacques chessmen design that is timeless and elegant. Lux Legionnaires - Features Mark of Westminster Chess Pieces are the paradigm of perfection in wood staunton chess piece design. Each chess set is exclusive with a lifetime warranty for natural defect. Each chess piece is hand-carved with felt bottoms and extra queens. While there is no universal standard for 'weight' (there isn't a true 'double weight' or 'triple weight' because there is no standard for what a 'weight' is, the pieces are very well weighted. A hole is carved beneath each piece and a metal slug is put within before being sealed up - this makes the piece feel nice and heavy as well have a 'bottom-weight' to balance it and make it feel good as it hits your chessboard. Not only do the Legionnaires boast a well carved knight, but all the pieces are simply clean, well carved and executed chess pieces. These chessmen are available in two sizes and several different wood types. See our Complete Staunton Chess Set and Pieces Selection The Knight Chess sets and chess pieces come in all shapes and sizes. While some pieces can be elaborately carved with incredibly detail, often the most popular style set are those that are beautiful, clean, traditional chessmen. When people look at a chess set to purchase, the first thing often looked at is the knight, and with good reason. The most detail in carvings will go on the knight chess piece. In the Legionnaires, it is a very classic Jacques design - refined and elegent, it does not seek to be over-the-top nor understated. It is a simple classic style, with great detailing afforded to an heirloom style chess set 3 1/4" Lux Legionnaires Chess Pieces - Sizing Details

For executive boards with a 1 3/4" - 2" square size, you might consider the 3 1/4" version. These are perfect for a coffee table, end table, or desktop - an accent piece to a room that can still be easily played and enjoyed. The pieces are still well weighted while fitting on a board that is between 16 - 18 inches overall, making it perfect if you're space conscious!

While we offer these chess pieces on their own for use of a board of your choosing, you can also purchase a perfect chess set gift with one of our prepackaged options as well. Both pieces and chess sets are shown below.

King HeightKing BaseQueen HeightBishop HeightKnight HeightRook HeightPawn Height
3 1/4"1 3/8"2 11/16"2 1/4"2"1 15/16"1 3/4"

Below is a chart of approximate weights of all pieces; please note these are estimates as slight variations can occur in hand carved items.
WoodKing WeightQueen WeightBishop WeightKnight WeightRook WeightPawn Weight
Ebonized1.52 oz1.18 oz0.79 oz0.92 oz0.98 oz0.56 oz
Boxwood1.58 oz1.20 oz0.80 oz0.95 oz0.97 oz0.56 oz


 Staunton 3 1/4" Chess Pieces Executive Size Chess Sets 4" Lux Legionnaires Chess Pieces - Sizing Details
If you have a tournament size chess board with 2 1/4" squares, you would want matching 4" chess pieces.  These chess boards are usually 18 - 23 inches, and are more of a focal point than an accent piece for a room - there's something quite impressive about a classic, old-world look to a game room or office with a great chess set.  

While we offer these chess pieces on their own for use on a board of your choosing, you can also purchase a perfect chess set gift with one of our prepackaged options as well. Both pieces and chess sets are shown below.


King HeightKing BaseQueen HeightBishop HeightKnight HeightRook HeightPawn Height
4"1 3/4"3 1/4"3 1/8"2 3/4"2 1/2"2"

Below is a chart of approximate weights of all pieces; please note these are estimates as slight variations can occur in hand carved items.
WoodKing WeightQueen WeightBishop WeightKnight WeightRook WeightPawn Weight
Ebonized3.12 oz2.54 oz1.64 oz1.62 oz1.84 oz1.03 oz
Boxwood3.07 oz2.48 oz1.66 oz1.62 oz1.91 oz0.95 oz

 Staunton 4" Chess Pieces Tournament Size Chess Sets Lux Legionnaires Chess Pieces - Wood Options Legionnaire Chess Pieces Chess Piece Woods You'll notice the light color wood is almost always the same - this is boxwood, a light tan wood that is relatively soft and thus easy to carve with great detail. Regardless of whether the chess set is ebony, rosewood, or exotic options like padouk, the light side is always the same. Below I will go into detail on all the possible woods these chess pieces come in. The wood type is one of the biggest drives of cost in a chess set. Legionnaires Chess Pieces Ebonized The least expensive is called ebonized, which is a really a way to say the dark side has gone through a process to turn a set of boxwood pieces perfectly black. While affordable, it also makes the pieces look near indestinguishable from actual ebonywood - a luxury hardwood several times the price! Legionnaires Chess Pieces Honey Rosewood Honey Rosewood is a light brown Indian Rosewood. In the past it has been Sheeshamwood, but more commonly is actually Acacia. Like boxwood, it's fairly easy to work with and plentiful enough that it remains a popular choice for a natural, warm wood option. It goes great with walnuts and decor in traditional brown colors, and is the second most popular wood type. Legionnaires Chess Pieces Rosewood These chess pieces are noticeably darker than Honey Rosewood; a deep, dark brown with variarions of striation and color. This means these pieces always seem unique and one-of-a-king as the straight grain pattern can vary slightly from one piece to the next. It's an ideal mid-range wood for a rich, deep look and pairs quite well with everything from browns to reds. Legionnaires Chess Pieces Ebony This is the true classic - pure ebony is a luxury hardwood that is black to dark brown all the way through. Many heirloom and antique chess sets are made from ebony, which was the standard for 'luxury chess set' for decades. It is a denser wood that is harder to carve, and harder still to obtain in good quality and quantity. Unfortunately this means it is much more expensive than other woods, and looks very similar to the ebonized boxwood chessmen. Legionnaires Chess Pieces Padouk Crimson colored chess pieces have been popular for several decades and are another exotic hardwood. There have been several types of woods used with many different names - crimson rosewood, bud rosewood, bloodwood, red chidar, and so on. Padouk is the most common luxury 'red' color wood. It starts off in a fairly bright reddish tone, but interestingly over time the wood will darken as it ages, eventually becoming a deep, red wine like color. If you're looking for an exceptional heirloom color for wooden chess pieces, padouk is an excellent choice. Legionnaires Chess Pieces Black and White Many folks are looking for a modern twist to a classic and are looking for pieces that are a stark black and white. This style comes that way, with a glossy sheen to make it excellent for matching glossy or glass boards. This is also a way to bring the traditional design of chess into a more modern roomspace. Want to see more? See our complete luxury chess set collection