Scandinavian Noir Meets Glass Art
Orrefors and designer Jay3lle have created something rare: a luxury chess set that bridges fine craft tradition with conceptual design thinking.
The collaborative piece—entirely handmade at Kosta, Sweden’s legendary glassworks—represents the intersection of sculptural ambition and functional beauty.
The Board and Pieces
The chess board comprises 64 individual squares resting on a thick glass base, supported by three feet at each corner. All squares and feet are cast in clear glass and black glass, then individually cut, ground, and polished to optical perfection. The squares are then laminated onto a glass foundation with felt-protected feet to prevent surface damage.
Each chess piece follows the same rigorous process. Molten glass is poured into casting forms to establish basic shapes, which are then refined into distinct pieces—kings, queens, knights, rooks, bishops, and pawns—in both clear and black glass. Precision cutting brings additional dimensional detail to each form. Every piece receives a final blast-finish and polish before protective felt is applied to undersides.
The Box
The solid oak and oak-veneer MDF box honours the contents with meticulous joinery and three layers of black stain. A hinged lid reveals an inner tray with custom-contoured compartments for each chess piece and a dedicated layer for the board below. All interior surfaces and box feet feature protective felt.
The Concept
Visually, the set evokes the symbolic universe of Ingmar Bergman and the austere beauty of photographer John Selbing’s work. The interplay of clear and black glass creates visual drama—distinct, decorative, and deliberately formal. Every handcrafted detail speaks to a singular design philosophy: reduction to the sublime.
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