Testimonials

Dear Denis, Thank you for overhauling my 1936 Rolex. Your hands, skill and workmanship turned a crippled old watch into a fabulous looking piece of jewelry. It is teriffic, and I'm so grateful for your kind attention to detail and courteous service. The quality of your restoration is remarkable and I'm forever grateful. You have my highest recommendations, period! Again, thank you for the wonderful and timely service. Respectfully, Andrew L. Snyder

It is not very often in this day and age that a business takes the time and effort to perform a truly extraordinary service. One such company is carignan Watch company. From the moment I first contacted Carignan watch company via email, I received prompt and curteous assistance. Upon my arrival at their store, i was greeted and made to feel welcome. Prior to contacting Carignan, I visited several watch dealers in the Portsmouth NH area. I was told that the watch I owned (Tag Hauer Aquaracer) would have to be sent out for repair that could take up to six weeks and cost upwards of $250 USD. Not only did Carignan immediately tend to my watch, but the cost was SIGNIFICANTLY less. Carignan also had the means to pressure test my watch which no other facility had. In short, if I were asked if I would refer them to another, the answer would be unequivocally absolutely.

I wish nothing but the absolute best of luck to Carignan Watch Company, and years of good fortune.

Denis,

I sent you my beat up Omega Mini Constellation watch for refurbishing and you did an excellent job with a very quick turnaround time. I couldn't be more pleased. The watch looks like it just came out of the jeweler's showcase.

Thanks so much for the fabulous job and the great customer service.

Best regards,

Susan Alexandratos

Gentlemen,
I received my TAG Chronograph the other day and it looks great. Keeps perfect time.
Thanks for getting this done in a timely manner.
Regards
Bob

Denis,

Thanks very much for the overhaul on my Rolex Date watch. Before overhaul, it was running very fast, and it's now running within one second each day. For anyone looking for excellent watch repair, Carignan is your company. Denis overhauled a 1960s manual-wind IWC Calatrava-style watch for me in 2003, and it literally stays on time to this day with no time gain or loss. He also did considerable case repair on that watch, as well as bracelet repair with the overhaul on the Rolex date. Denis makes a point to let the customer know how the repair is going during various stages, and I've learned a considerable amount about the watch functions from this level of customer service. I'll forever be a customer.

Hoot Albaugh

Arlington, Virginia

Dennis,

I received my Heuer Regatta countdown chrono watch this PM. and Immediately took it over to my uncle who is also my gunsmith.
The highest praise comes from another craftsman who has been at it for over 60 years.
"He is one of us" Great job, quality work, and it looks every bit how you described it.
I learned years ago never rush a pro and by taking our time the watch is beyond what I expected.
Thanks again and I will get some more units to send you as I do not need Rolex on 5th Ave in NYC anymore. All these years I described to my wife how the countdown went with the different colors. She saw it for the first time working and now knows why I loved this watch.

Thanks, Owen

Dear Denis:

I would like to thank you for the excellent work you did to restore my Grandfather's fusee watch! I am attaching a picture of him and my Grandmother that was taken on June 3rd, 1895, when he was about 25 years old and working as a conductor on the railroad in Scunthorpe, England.
Attached to his vest you can see his watch chain that leads to the watch in his pocket. I suspect that he inherited the watch from his Grandfather.

When the watch came to me after having been tossed into a box of things ready for disposal, I was concerned about its poor condition and thought that it would never run again. I kept it because it had belonged to my grandfather with whom I had a very special bond.

This morning when my wife and I opened the box containing the watch, which you had brought back to original condition with your tedious and caring workmanship, we were absolutely amazed at its beauty! Every time we look at it, we will remember the painstaking effort you put into it.
You have restored a family treasure that we plan to pass down to future generations.

Although we have never met, you seem like a good friend. We also give a hearty thanks to your wife Heidi and your secretary Elise, for supporting you as you obviously gave numerous hours to bring this timepiece back to life!

William L. Brown, PhD

William's Grandfather and Grandmother

William Brown's Pocketwatch pictures below

(Hen' Thompson, JUN #776, pair cased, Verge Fusee with black sea ray leather covered outer case from early to mid 1700s) We completely restored this watch from replacing missing and broken parts to even replacing the sea ray leather on the outer case. This watch was in very poor condition when we received it so we are very happy with how well it turned out, we only wish we had the "before" pictures still.

Perhaps, based on the “lot to lose theory”, I was unsure about having my watches serviced by the Carignan Watch Co Inc. My Rolex GMT Master is a 1970 model bought at the Royal Navy’s China Fleet Club in Hong Kong to replace a 1968 GMT “lost” in Saigon the same year. My Wife’s Rolex Lady DateJust is a 1979 model bought at Artland Watch in Hong Kong. The two Tag Heuers were also bought in Hong Kong on the occasion of our son’s and daughter’s graduation from High School. But the watches, particularly the Tags needed a service and having a home now in the Lakes Region in NH I thought I would at least go and visit the Carignan Watch Company. Our Rolexes have been serviced by Rolex in Hong Kong, New York, and several places in between. For some heretofore unsolvable reason, my wife’s watch has always run fast before and after each service. When I mentioned this to Denis during my visit he took my wife’s watch into the back, opened it and returned with a simple for him, but complex for me explanation, which seemed to make sense. After about 20 minutes of back and forth I agreed to leave the watches. They were serviced faster than anticipated, at the price quoted in the beginning (which was more than competitive with the price paid for a service a few years back in CA) and incredibly, as promised, my wife’s Rolex is keeping good time for the first time since it was purchased. I will be bringing other vintage watches to Carignan for service very soon.

Fellow “watch enthusiasts”, if you want a person who truly cares about customers and watches, Denis is your guy. I have a Patek Philippe watch that was in my family for 3 generations (with me being the third). It lay dormant in a safe deposit box ever since my dad gave it to me. When I took it out it was not running, and it seems like it has aged a lot from my earliest recollection of what it was suppose to look like.

After reading Denis’s website, I decided to give him a try. I must say, he was everything his testimonials said he would be, and more! He would perform a diagnosis and let you know what the problem is, talk to you about what needs to be done to fix the watch, and then provide insight on how it could have happened, and what can be done in the future to prevent it from happening again.

When he opened my Patek, he found corrosion everywhere. He painstakingly removed the corrosion and re-plated corroded areas to permanently stop the corrosion from potentially damaging the movement. The movement on this particular piece cannot be easily replaced, and if I had to the cost would be astronomical. He actually helped me save money!

He took the time to explain that the corrosion probably happened because some sort of corrosive liquid substance got into the watch. This particular model is especially susceptible to water damage. I would have never known that if he didn’t tell me. He spent the time to tell me how I can maximize its longevity and hence, my enjoyment. It was great!

There was a dent on the bezel which he told me he would not be able to remove completely, but will try his best. He also polished each link in my bracelet individually. When I received the watch back, my friends and family were amazed how well it turned out.
It looks almost brand new!

The long wait was definitely worth it. I’ve never thought the watch will look this good.

Here are some before and after pictures:

http://ryanjzi.winkflash.com/

Thank you Denis, you’re a class act. You’ll be hearing from me again very soon!

Regards,
Ryan Z.
Rancho Palos Verdes, California.

Dear Dennis-Thank you so much for saving my Omega watch. As you know, this watch was given to my Father-in-Law by his father, both of whom were concentration camp survivors. I don't know the whole story at this point, but this watch was in terrible condition when you received it. Mainly, the gold back was in the worst shape. It was severely bent with cracks. Before it found its way to you, it went to a repair person in Philadelphia, his goldsmith colleagues, then to Switzerland-all with no success. To my amazement, you were able to repair and reshape the original back to the point where it actually snaps on to the case. Great work! I can't wait to show it to my Father-in-Law when he comes for a visit this summer. Thanks again, David Kieserman.

I am so pleased with the wonderful job you did on my Dad's vintage gold Patek Philippe! It looks like new and runs to the second! I was told by several jewelers and a local watchmaker that it was a "basket case" and could not be repaired. You sounded very optimistic over the phone that anything could be repaired and told me to send it off to your company for an estimate so I did. I must say that I honestly figured that you would send it back to me in a couple of weeks with a note saying it couldn't be repaired just as the others had done but to my surprise you didn't! You called me immediately with an estimate and gave me several options like dial refinishing etc. and told me to "relax", I gave you the okay and the rest is history. I still must say that I was still a little skeptical but when I received the watch all my doubts vanished, I was and still am absolutely amazed with the quality of the work you did on my very precious family heirloom. You not only got it running again you made it look practically new even going so far as removing the dents, re-engraving the lines on the case lugs and polishing off all the scratches on the case. My only regret is that I didn't find your company sooner! Thank you very much, I will be spreading the word!

I have a Verge Fusee pocket-watch that has been in my family for several generations. When my Dad gave it to me, it did not work and to the best of my knowledge, did not work during the time that my Father had it. I do know that it was carried by my Great-Great Grandfather during the Civil War. I had the watch for several years before I decided to try to get it repaired, that's when it started getting hard. First I was concerned about sending it off to some stranger for fear of not getting it back and then there was the problem with finding someone that could even fix it. I searched for about a year on the internet trying to find someone when I came upon the web site for Carignan Watch Company, Inc. I searched Denis' web site on several different occasions and it seemed that if there was anyone that could repair the watch, he could. I finally made a call to Denis and spoke to him about my pocket-watch. Denis was very helpful with answering my questions and knew all the answers. After speaking to Denis a second time, I decided to send the pocket-watch to him.

Now let me tell you about the watch. The Movement from best we can tell was made in the mid to late 1700's. It is a pair cased sterling silver verge fusee pocket-watch. The watch was missing the crystal, the fusee chain was hanging out of the side, the hands were rusted, the watch couldn't be wound, the silver cases were badly tarnished, the outer case hinge was missing, and I'm sure that there were a lot of other items inside the movement that I couldn't see or know about being I don't know anything about watch repair.

Once Denis received it, he called me to let me know that he had it and that as soon as he had a chance to go through it, would call back and let me know what it would take to get it running. Denis was always very through in his conversations and seemed to always treat the watch as his own. He even called me one night about 9:30PM just to let me know that he had it running. Although it was not running correctly, it was running and that was a start. Denis repaired the watch as close to original as he could. Even though some of the needed parts couldn't be found, he did do his best to make it as original as possible as in the case of the crystal. Even though he couldn't find one to work that was 200+ years old, he did find a 100+ year old crystal for the watch. Some items needed for the repair could not be found at all and this is where Denis' knowledge and abilities excelled. He was able to make whatever he couldn't find for the watch. I'm sure this was very pain staking at times as in the case of the Hairspring. If I remember correctly, Denis had to do this twice because the first one either broke or didn't work the way Denis wanted it to.

Now to tell you a few things about having Denis repair your watch. You do have to be patient and I'm sure that Denis got a little irritated with my calling and sending emails, although if he did he never showed it. In speaking to Denis, he said that he wasn't a "master" watch repairer. Well, I tend to disagree with him. Once I received the watch back, it really surprised me. You would have thought that the watch was bought new and put up for all the years of it's existence. The watch looks as if it is practically brand new. The crystal, hands, and the rest of the watch are beautiful. And to look at it, you would think that it was the original watch that was purchased by my late great relative. Now it doesn't keep perfect time, but with all old fusee watches, I didn't expect it to, but it keeps time close enough for me to carry it. As I said before, Denis says that there is no such thing as a "Master Watch Maker", well if he isn't, he's the next best thing.

Thank you Denis for all of the hard work and dedication in making my watch whole again.

I've just spent a fascinating hour exploring the Technical Pages of your web site, and will certainly spend a great deal more time there. What an absolutely beautiful tribute to the craftsmanship that goes into precision timekeeping. I have always wondered at the intricacies of watches, and your pages have served both to demystify them for me and at the same time greatly compound my respect for watchmaking and watchmakers.

Thank you most kindly for making the substantial effort to share your knowledge with us in such painstaking detail. Your web site is the most unexpected and delightful surprise I have encountered on the World Wide Web.

-George
Pittsburgh PA

Denis Carignan of Carignan Watch Co. did an excellent job on my 1950's Rolex semi-bubble-back. A Rolex specialist had informed me that It was irreparable but Denis found the necessary parts and got it working again. Thereafter I sent him my wife's 1970's Cartier Tank which had some water damage. He similarly found the parts and got it back into working order. I recommend his services highly.

Bryan Ghows

As a pilot, I need accuracy in my watch. I was ready to discard my Citizen Wingman but Denis got it in better shape than it had been in twenty years. Now I'm sending him another much more expensive watch, confident that it will be repaired correctly and at a reasonable price. Additionally, he must check his email twenty four hours a day. You never have to wait to get an answer to your questions. Truly top notch service.

WOW! Thanks Denis for making my ten year old Tag Heuer 2000 automatic chronograph look and operate better than new. I don't think this watch ever kept time this accurately. I'm afraid watchmakers with your level of proficiency may soon be extinct.

Thanks for your excellent service on my 30 year old Rolex DateJust. After being refitted with a new Jubilee bracelet, the watch looks and is running like new. Also the Ladies Rolex President that you sold me, overhauled, and refitted with a Rolex diamond dial and 18kt yellow gold 1 ct diamond bead bezel is just stunning, and my wife loves it. You have been a pleasure to do business with, and I learned a great deal about watches in general and Rolex watches in particular during my several conversations with you. I highly recommend your expert services, and look forward to doing business with you again.

The care and workmanship you lavished upon my Mother 's and Father's watches was amazing. Even though they were not high end watches they were precious family heirlooms. The quality with which they were restored was incredible. You went far beyond and above the call of duty with these timepieces. It is truly a pleasure to meet and deal with a craftsman such as yourself.

Words cannot really describe my gratitude to you, Denis. Although my 1968 Snoopy Watch is technically not worth anything, it holds tremendous sentimental value to me. I had it repaired locally more times than I could count. I shipped my watch from Ohio to your shop in NH and had it returned in running order!!!!! Your quick response and customer concern are exemplary!!!

Thank You!
Suzanne C.

As someone who helps people start small businesses I must complement you on both your website and how you have made it an integral part of your companies operation. I have also been impressed by the responsiveness and and focus on customer relations.

Sincerely,

Russ Smith

Denis fixed my 18K Piaget Polo to perfection. My entire band had to be rebuilt, and he did it. I was told by many jewelers it could not be done. He must have the patience of a saint and very gifted hands.

Their service was excellent I e-mailed them and they responded in less than an hour each time. They are the best watch repair on the internet.

Your web sight is very good and your service and expertise on repairing my Fathers watch was just wonderful. I have been trying for several years to find someone who takes a real interest in repairing classic watches. My look is finally over! thank you so much for putting something on my wrist that I can look at and remember my father, whom I lost at an early age.

Enjoyed doing business with you and find you to be an outstanding watch repair man at the highest levels of skills and knowledge in a day where the art of watch repair has become a lost skill. Your work on my vintage football decorated watch was outstanding. Your web site is very informative!

Thank you for the excellent job you did on my Tag, it looks and works like new, I am very happy with your service.

I live in Texas and summer in New Hampshire. I found Denis on the Internet and waited until I got to NH for him to work on my Tissot watch. His work was excellent. I would strongly recommend him if you have any watch or clock problems. Great work! Thank you!

Hi Denis, I just wanted to say again that I really like my clock. Your website is great. I'll be back down to look at some of the jewelry in your catalogs. Have a great night!

Denis does quality work at a "fair" price. The old saying: "you get what you pay for" applies here............only you get more! The only "detriment" to this type of quality conscious watchmaker is......he tends to stay very busy! So stop looking, send him your watch, be patient, ....and enjoy the result when your prized watch is returned knowing everything that could be done to it has been. Complete disassembly, thorough cleaning, and hand oiling are part of the procedure. I just got back a vintage(cir.1955)Wittnauer "Professional" Chronograph utilizing a Valjoux cal.72 movement from Denis......and it never sounded so strong! Keeps great time (within chronometer specs, actually, though not rated as such!)....and it looks great. Now if he only lived in my hometown.........

Thanks Denis for the quick turn around on my watch repair. I had taken the watch locally to get it repaired and they just scratched their head and suggested I send it back to the manufacturer. Your personal service is always preferred over a manufacturer.

Denis is a great jewelry repair man!! He has sized many rings for me and has a done a great job on each and every one of them. A guy with a great personality and always looking for the best for his customers! Thanks again Denis.

I am so pleased with the work done on my music box. The box was given to my son 36 years ago and now I can give it to him for his baby. The box has been cleaned, well repaired and works perfectly. The packing done by Carignan's insured a safe delivery of my item. I am so happy and would be glad to recommend this wonderful company to everyone. Charlotte Harrington

I am researching an image I want to make of a watchmakers bench and found your wonderful site. It is rare to find a site with so much freely given information with wonderful hand done drawings. I will undoubtedly return many times. Ed

I feel fortunate to have found your website. I look forward to finding out if you can repair my Seiko Auto Relay watch. Tom Newkirk c/o Pinkerton Investigations 1101 Kermit Drive - Suite 502 Nashville, TN 37217 Phone 615-777-3221

A well laid out Web page, full of good information for people like myself who only scratch the surface of knowing the workings of watches. Trevor Lace Cyprus

Carignan Thank you for all the information on your web site. You will be hearing from me. Sincerely Robert Bisbee

Excellent resource! I appreciate the technical papers. Hope to do business with you. Robert Lude

Below are complaints I have been able to find about us (if there are more please let me know), if you have questions or concerns please contact us, as you can see we have nothing to hide. We have been in business for MANY years and serve thousands of people so I guess a few complaints are inevitable but it bothers us greatly. If you have a comment or problem with any aspect of our service PLEASE let us know. Unfortunately anyone can say anything about anybody

Complaints

In 2005 This customer had a hard time getting in touch with us and unfortunately we were unable to talk with her before she filed a complaint things have since been rectified.

In 2005 (John Gruver) failed to make any contact with us or respond to our attempts to contact him for many months after being advised that his watches were finished. He was advised of our policies and failed to fulfill his part. He has now dedicated his life to harassing us relentlessly and is currently spreading lies about us everywhere he can. This man has made all sorts of absurd claims and will continue to do so I imagine. This is the only time that we have ever had this sort of problem in all the years that we have been in business. I believe there is a lesson here, be responsible and pay your bills in a timely manner or at least contact the person that is doing work for you and let them know that you are alive and willing to pay.

Welcome to Carignan Watch Company complaints and testimonials page.