As if we needed any more proof that poker is the new flavor of the month, Louis Vuitton is getting into the act with its latest luxury creation, a $24,000 poker chip set.
The case went on sale on Thursday, and is as much of a fashion statement as it is a way of carrying chips. However, the timing of the product’s release can’t be ignored.
With coronavirus lockdowns making poker a go-to source of entertainment, the game is as mainstream as it’s ever been. Louis Vuitton is jumping on the bandwagon with a product that will appeal to the Dan Bilzerians of this world.
Poker Surge Inspires Luxury Brand
Google searches for phrases like “how to play poker” have spiked since the end of March. This influx of newbies to the game, combined with a general uptick in activity from existing poker fans, means the game is seeing a new round of popularity among the general public.
Louis Vuitton may be capitalizing on the trend to sell another product, but it’s they’re far from the only company to try and cash in on poker over the years. The average poker set generally costs somewhere in the region of $100 or more, but there are plenty of high-end options for those with bigger bankrolls.
For the price of a WSOP Main Event buy-in ($10,000), Cartier will sell you a 360-chip poker set. In addition to a full set of chips, you get two decks of cards, dice, and a wooden box trimmed with gold (see image below).
Ebony inlaid poker chips, 18-carat rose gold trim, and a customized nameplate all come as standard in the Buckingham Poker Box. This poker set was designed by Linzi Stivey-Davies and offers a combination of style and pizzazz, all for a mere $28,000 (see image below).
Still not glitzy enough for your regular Friday night game? Fear not, because there are still options that will let you raise the stakes.
High-Stakes Chip Sets
Moving up the ranks, $150,000 will buy you the Meteorite Poker Set from Swedish jeweler Stahl (see image above). The 18-carat white gold chips are not only trimmed with rubies and diamonds; they contain iron from a meteorite.
Topping the list of super high roller poker sets is the Geoffrey Parker collection. Handcrafted in England, these sets are custom-made to order and start at $18,800.
The defining feature of each case is the alligator skin leather (see image above). Once you’ve added the full list of extras, a Geoffrey Parker poker set can cost upwards of $6.26 million. That makes the new Louis Vuitton poker set look like a veritable low roller.
However, at $24,000, it’s unlikely you’ll see the famous LV logo at your next nickel and dime game. What you may see though is more of the world’s rich and famous playing poker long after coronavirus has passed.
