Few games have the quiet charm of mahjong. It begins with a familiar rhythm of tiles shuffled across the table, dice rolled, and hands moving with practiced ease. The soft click-clack of the tiles, often compared to the flutter of sparrows, has echoed through Chinese homes and tea houses for centuries. Today, however, this ancient game is finding itself in rather glamorous company.
Believed to have evolved from ancient Chinese card and tile games during the Song and Ming dynasties, mahjong has long been a game of social connection. Its name, loosely translating to “sparrow”, refers to the sound of tiles striking the table.
Played by four participants using a set of 144 intricately designed tiles, it blends chance with calculation where players draw, discard, and construct winning combinations. For generations, mahjong was largely a communal ritual more like an afternoon game shared among family, neighbours, and close friends. As Chinese communities travelled across the world, the game too travelled with them. From parlours in San Francisco to cafes in Hong Kong, mahjong gradually became a part of global culture.
In recent years, however, it has undergone an unexpected renaissance. Part of this renewed fascination can also be credited to pop culture. The climactic mahjong scene in Crazy Rich Asians, where Constance Wu’s Rachel Chu confronts Michelle Yeoh’s Eleanor Young, introduced global audiences to the game’s deeper symbolism. For many viewers unfamiliar with it, the scene sparked a new curiosity about its history and traditions.
At the same time, younger generations are rediscovering mahjong as a welcome analogue escape from digital life. It is no longer limited to older generations; today, it has become a stylish “granny-core” pastime often enjoyed over coffee or a glass of wine. In cities such as New York, Singapore, and even Mumbai, social mahjong clubs are emerging where people gather to step away from their screens and spend time together.
With 2026 often being described as the “year of analogue”, the tactile pleasure of shuffling tiles, reading opponents, and anticipating moves feels especially appealing.
And where culture leads, luxury is rarely far behind. In a rather fitting development, some of the world’s most prestigious maisons have turned their attention to mahjong, thereby elevating the humble tile game into a collectible. These sets are not merely meant to play with but crafted as expressions of artistry.
Here are three of the most remarkable mahjong sets currently making headlines.
The piece took more than eight months to complete, with materials chosen with exceptional care. At its core are solid blocks of Tanzanian ruby, a gemstone long associated with the fiery energy of the sun, as well as nobility and royalty. The set includes 144 extra-large tiles. Each ruby tile is protected by intricately engraved and hand-hammered gold vermeil metalwork, which is also a colour historically associated with the legendary emperors of ancient China and symbolic of good fortune. Adding to its opulence, the artists adorned both sides of the tiles with more than 1,000 rubies and 300 diamonds, creating a truly extraordinary collector’s piece. It is priced at a whooping Rs 10 Cr.
Encased within Louis Vuitton’s signature monogram vanity trunk, this set reflects the maison’s heritage of crafting refined travel accessories. Inside, lacquered tiles sit alongside impeccably organised compartments. The result is a mahjong set that feels equally at home in a private lounge, a yacht salon, or a penthouse game room. The trunk also doubles as a striking decorative piece, designed to elevate any interior. Handcrafted in corian and wood, it feels undeniably precious. The Vanity Mahjong is priced at Rs 56 Lakhs.
This mahjong set by Hermes is crafted from solid natural mahogany and features a lid wrapped in taurillon H leather, complemented by handles in Evercolor calfskin. The set includes 144 tiles made from solid mahogany and cassia wood, each detailed with precise laser engraving, along with a wind dice carved from hand-engraved mahogany. It also comes with four ebony dice finished with maple wood inlay and five solid mahogany trays for organised play. The leather lid casing is completed in France, while the set itself is made in Indonesia and is priced at Rs 11 Lakhs.