• House of Horology

  193 Prince St., nr. Sullivan St.; 212-203-3384

  Forest Hills native Lawrence Leyderman realized something while dissecting the wares at his father’s diamond-district watch-repair shop: Luxury timepieces needn’t cost a fortune. So last November, in the name of watch democracy, he launched House of Horology, a line of everyday chronographs made with Swiss-inspired ingredients: water-resistant stainless-steel casing, scratchproof sapphire-crystal coating, photo-luminescent dial. The sporty, leather-strap styles with custom trim are a margin-squeezing $490; his subterranean shop also sells more than 250 vintage watches starting at $50. Take five while you weigh your options—the couches and gratis espresso are there for a reason.

From the 2013 Best of New York issue of New York Magazine