I am an avid chess player (currently a chess "expert" in rating) and keep up to date on chess news and world class tournaments. I just found it interesting - Hikaru Nakamura, the third strongest chess player in the United States by rating, was just awarded a Rolex Sea-Dweller for winning a chess tournament in Zurich. I have considered the fact that chess players' wrists are prime real estate for watch advertisements. Since chess games can literally last for 8 hours or more each - and there are cameras on these people the whole time. And considering chess is perceived as a "gentleman's game" by some - I'm surprised sponsorship deals haven't been made. Redbull currently sponsors Nakamura and compels him to sport a can of Redbull during certain events. https://www.chess.com/news/view/3-winners-in-moscow-rolex-for-nakamura-5272 .
I have OCD Obsessional Chess Disorder. Chess clocks could be interesting for a watch brand such as Omega. Credit pic : https://shop.hodinkee.com/collections/rare-finds/products/heuer-chessmaster?variant=16512028420
Heuer made one of the most collectible vintage chess clock models. It's very beautiful. And the movement is of a higher quality than others from the period. .
I used to play chess some time ago. I have own a Garde chess clock for at least 25 years. Sometime I think I should service it! Would be interesting to see the movement.
So, which is THE chess set? I favour the Dubrovnik chess set from 1950's. However, I also like the Zagreb from '55 and '59.
I think that the Dubrovnik designs (both) are very beautiful. And I would like to own a reproduction one day. Noj makes the best reproductions of them: https://www.noj.si/?mod=catalog&action=view&group=8&lang=en But there are so many beautiful designs... its hard for me to pick just one. As a light hobby - I find myself designing chess sets that maybe one day I'll have 3d printed. Here is an example:
Was watching this the other day and remembered this thread, Hikaru losing a drunken bullet game to Eric Hansen then going out the front lawn to have a physical fight with him while Yasser & Fabiano provide color commentary in the foreground and Yasser jokes about stealing Hikaru’s money while he’s fighting since he’s too drunk to remember
Didn’t Omega have some sort of sponsorship with Magnus Carlsen some years back? He’s in the Master issue of Lifetime anyway, presumably hawking their Master Chronometer movements.