Each production part and step of the meticulous process of assembling the board is done manually by Orrefors craftsmen at Kosta Glassworks.
Orrefors x JAY3LLE is a unique handcrafted concept chessboard where every figurine and each of the 64 squares have been meticulously molded, cut and polished by Orrefors’ leading craftsmen to assemble a masterpiece boardgame. An exquisite, handmade, layered wooden case completes the presentation.
The inspiration for Orrefors x JAY3LLE comes in no small part from Ingmar Bergman’ s The Seventh Seal – the knight playing chess with Death on a pristine stone beach is one of film history’ s iconic scenes. For anyone seeing the works of Orrefors photographer John Selbing, the artistic kinship with Bergman is striking. The compositions, the contrasts, the charged yet playful interaction of light and shadow – it’ s all there. Originally a glass designer himself, Selbing came over time to focus more and more on photography. He stayed at the glassworks over six decades, and his pictures were instrumental in defining and developing Orrefors’ identity.
With the 32 pieces in place, standing on their shimmering board, this exclusive chessboard forms an expression that encapsulates both Scandinavian Noir and its sources of inspiration with perfect clarity: distinct and decorative, dark and dramatic.
The board consists of 64 separate squares, a flat glass panel and feet: 3 in each corner. The squares and feet are cast in clear glass and black glass prior to being sawn, grinded and polished. Once completed the squared are glued together on a flat glass sheet with feet. Felt is added to the feet to prevent scratches on surfaces.
The stunning chess pieces are also cast in clear glass and black glass. Every cast makes several figurines in a base mold. The number varies depending on the piece / model. After cooling, each respective piece is sawn off and then post-processed. Select pieces are precision cut to bring out details that the mold itself does not provide. All pieces are blasted and polished to perfect the finish and presentation. Each piece is provided with a contour cut felt at the base to protect the chess board surface.
The box is made of solid oak and oak-veneered mdf board. To meet the high standard and expression of the board game, the sides of the box are sawed, and the surface finished using three layers of black stain. The box consists of a lid and a base with feet. When the lid is lifted, the complete set of chess figurines is presented in an inner box that has contour-cut compartments for each piece. The chess board itself is placed in a compartment below the figures. Felt is applied on the base of the pieces, on the inner box and on the feet of the outer box.
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