Measurements, Sizes and Specifications
Product Variations & Natural Characteristics
An important guide to the natural differences found in handcrafted wooden chess pieces, boards, boxes and accessories.
No two handcrafted wooden products are completely identical
At The Official Staunton Chess Company, many of our chess pieces, boards, storage boxes and accessories are produced using traditional woodworking and finishing methods.
Natural timber and hand-finishing inevitably introduce small variations from one item to another. These differences are expected characteristics of genuine wooden products and contribute to their individuality.
Handcrafted Character
Individual shaping, finishing and natural material variation mean that no two products will be absolutely identical.
Approximate Measurements
Dimensions, weights and specifications are practical guides and may vary slightly between individual handmade items.
Natural Materials
Wood grain, tone, figuring and colour naturally differ from one piece of timber to another.
What variations should you expect?
Small differences may occur throughout the manufacturing process, particularly where natural timber, individual turning, carving, sanding and hand-finishing are involved.
- Chess piece height and base diameter
- Individual piece weight and weight distribution
- Chessboard dimensions and square measurements
- Wood grain, figuring, tone and natural colour
- Polish, finish and fine decorative detailing
- Knight carving and other hand-finished elements
- Storage box dimensions and internal tolerances
These differences should be regarded as part of the character of traditionally made wooden chess equipment rather than evidence that every product must be dimensionally identical.
Natural wood will vary in colour and grain
Timber is a natural material. Even pieces cut from the same species can differ noticeably in grain structure, shade, figuring and colour. This is particularly visible in timbers such as acacia, rosewood, mahogany and other naturally figured woods.
Antiqued, stained or ebonised finishes may also show modest variation because the underlying timber absorbs and reflects finishing materials differently.
Why specifications are stated as approximate
Handmade and traditionally manufactured products do not behave like precision-engineered metal components. Turning, sanding, carving, weighting and finishing can introduce small dimensional differences.
Measurements quoted on our website therefore describe the intended specification and should be used as a practical guide rather than as an absolute manufacturing tolerance.
Product photography is representative
We aim to photograph our products as accurately as possible. Nevertheless, differences in natural timber, studio lighting, photography, display brightness and individual screen calibration may cause the item received to appear slightly different from the images shown online.
Grain placement, colour distribution and naturally occurring markings should therefore be expected to differ between individual products.
Handcrafted does not mean mechanically identical
By purchasing a traditionally made wooden product, you acknowledge that natural materials and hand-finishing can result in modest differences between individual examples and that published dimensions and weights are approximate.
These expected characteristics do not prevent us from addressing genuine manufacturing defects or products that materially differ from their advertised description.
If a particular measurement, shade or characteristic is especially important to your purchase, please contact us before ordering. We will be happy to provide additional information wherever practical. Nothing on this page is intended to limit or exclude your statutory consumer rights.