Oriental Delight

Before the emergence of the internet and online games, people tested their intelligence, concentration and competitiveness with board games. One of these games that belonged to the smart, urbane set was Mahjong. The Hermès Heilos Mahjong Set continues that grand tradition with a board that is carefully crafted in solid palissander wood and calfskin with full leather titles. The meaning of the game in Chinese is “squabbling sparrow” — an allusion to the noise made by the 144 tiles that are shuffled when playing the game. Hermes’ tiles knock gently against each other, while the little sticks keep track of the score, recreating the delicate rustling sound of the original game. Confucius would have loved everything about it except the $40,000 pricetag; Hermes.com.