LAGUIOLE Questions & Answers

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Where are Chateau Laguiole wine openers Manufactured?

Chateau Laguiole corkscrews are manufactured in the south central city of Thiers, France. Thiers has been the cutlery capital of Europe for the last seven centuries. Mr. Vialis from GUY VIALIS CREATION invented the Chateau Laguiole in 1992 and is the patent owner.
 
How do you pronounce "Chateau Laguiole, what is this name anyway?

 Laguiole is the name of a small village located in south central France. The famous knife of the same name was born there in 1829. Unfortunately the name Laguiole was never registered and is, to this day totally unprotected.  Anyone can use this name on anything, therefore one must be very cautious when purchasing a " bargain " Laguiole knife or corkscrew. Written Chateau Laguiole, and pronounced as "SHATO LAYOL". The old pronunciation, in Occitan, was preserved, this is the reason why one says "LAYOL"

Laguiole wine openers have bee manufactured since the early 1990s. Mr. Vialis the creator of the Chateau Laguiole brand was the first to adapt the Laguiole knife design to a waiter style wine opener. Every single models of Laguiole wine opener on the market today are based on the Chateau Laguiole design concept.
Slogans such as "Chateau Laguiole corkscrews are hand-crafted since 1850" are not true and are misleading.

What insect is represented on the spring?

It is the bee, symbol of the Laguiole knives. The local legend says it is Napoleon Bonaparte's imperial seal that was offered to the Laguiole town for token of his gratitude for the men's courage during the battles. The bee is a technical term used by manufacturers to designate the springhead. The Chateau Laguiole's springhead is a bee.

Are Chateau Laguiole corkscrews really hand made?

Yes and no, to be really hand made a piece would need to be forged the old fashion way, machined by hand, and assembled and polished the same way. Every pieces (except the handle material) of a Chateau Laguiole are machined with modern tools, but are carefully and individually assembled entirely by hand and must pass very strict criteria before completion. The carefully selected handles are formed and polished entirely by hand. Some of our custom made pieces like the Damascus are entirely forged the old fashion way.

Why would I purchase my Chateau Laguiole from you?

Because we will supply you with a written and signed certificate that assure you that they will replace your wine opener Free if it breaks, LAGUIOLE-IMPORTS.COM will provide you with such certificate. No other retailers anywhere in the world  we offer such commitment. We have replaced over 700s broken Chateau Laguiole corkscrews over the last 10 years. Of course this is a very small fraction of the over 7000 CL we sell per year.
All genuine Chateau Laguiole wine openers and Laguiole knives we offer carry a lifetime warranty against manufacturer defects and workmanship. The tricky part is to actually try to activate this warranty; re-sellers will most likely will not want to help you with this, they are not required to do so. If they do help, you will have to pay all shipping cost to France and back ($30-$50) and wait about a month, and hopefully, get your wine key back...If you purchase your Chateau Laguiole from us we will replace it for you, no questions asked. All we ask for is that you fund the S&H back to you from the US ($10).

How can you tell a real "Chateau Laguiole wine opener from a Fake?

Although the name and design of the Chateau Laguiole are register and patented some unscrupulous manufacturers and retailers (sometime unaware) will offer look alike / fake Chateau Laguiole. They are sold as Laguiole waiter style corkscrews and sometime as Chateau Laguiole wine openers.
The most obvious sign of a Chateau Laguiole wine opener imitation is the price, if you find a brand new Laguiole wine opener that look like a Chateau Laguiole wine opener for a very low price you are most likely looking at a fake.
An other very obvious sign of a fake is the weight, authentic Chateau Laguiole corkscrews can weight up to 4.5 oz, they have massive / solid stainless bolsters and thick body plates. Laguiole wine openers like the ones bellow may only weigh a couple ounces, of course you will not know the actual weight of your opener until you receive it.
Many fake Chateau Laguiole corkscrews (not all) are offer with a wooden box, you must know that the price of a real Chateau Laguiole wine opener never include a wooden box. If it is to good to be true......

Can I return my Chateau Laguiole wine opener or Laguiole knife? Absolutely. If you are not totally satisfied within 30 days we will refund your full payment less shipping. No questions asked. Please email us before returning your item. This policy does not apply to personalized pieces. Your Chateau Laguiole prices are lower then other internet retailers, are they genuine Chateau LaguioleŽ? Yes, all wine openers offered through our website are genuine chateau LaguioleŽ wine keys, they are shipped to you with a certificate of authenticity from the manufacturer, a lifetime warranty against defect and are protected by Our guarantee. Yes, our prices are lower then most retailers, our buying powers allows us to negotiate the best prices and pass on the savings to the consumers. Why would someone pay over $120 for a wine opener? This is a fair question. A similar question could be asked from anyone wearing a Rolex watch or driving a Lexus. The answer is quite simple: luxury, desire, quality and status. Many of our custom pieces sold for 10 times this amount. Laguiole wine openers make truly unforgettable gifts for truly extraordinary people.