I have an attack of the "Buy a different Brand Fever". I do not own a New York Standard...

First question: Is that a watchmaker I should consider?

In researching the website I see many comments that suggest they are one tick above a dollar watch...then I see them compared to a Howard?? I recall reading that replacement parts were a problem (they were not very "standard").

I'm not strong on pre WWI watches, my collection is dominantly 1914-54 RR, Hamilton, Illinois, Elgin, Waltham, Hampden, Howard, Southbend. I expanded to Rockford and Columbus recently.

If a NYS is a desirable item, are there particularly good models I should consider? Otherwise, what would be another watchmaker I should research (I have also started researching Seth Thomas...but haven't found what I want there either).

Hey Gary, I personally like NYS watches. There are some very rare and to me desirable models. Most notably the Worm Gear model,and the keywinds,and convertibles. The models 1516 16 size and 1512 12 size,I am told are dead ringers for some of the Howard models. Serial numbers from approx. 31138 to 56454 are model 2 ring gear movements,and are very rare. But,NYS went out of business in 1927,and most of the rare models were made in the 1800s. Hope this helps.

Hi Gary, I like the chronograph models. I understand they were used mostly to time race horses. You can usually find a few on ebay, but unless you like a project, look for a complete watch, as parts seem very scarce.