$10 vs $10,000 What's the difference?

It comes down to rarity and complication of the movement (movt). A more complicated, higher jeweled movt the more accurate the watch. A jeweled movt does not mean bling, bling, but the jewel the sprocket turns on. Automatic and manual wind movt's use more sprockets hence higher jewel count than quartz but quartz will tend to be more accurate. Have I lost you yet. Quartz is more accurate because it does not use a spring to propel the gears but an electrical impulse. That is why on auto wind watches you have a smother sweep sec hand vs the tick tick of the quartz. Quartz movt's very greatly in price too from a dollar to hundreds of dollars. Tag Heuer 'quartz' chronograph movt is one of the best quartz movt I have seen. The original formula 1 (1990's) had a 7 hand chronograph. 10th sec, sec, hour, and min chrono function, while maintaining normal min, sec, and hour. There is also a flyback chronograph. This is a chrono function that when the second hand is stopped (typically with the bottom pusher) it continue remember the elapse time and the same button is pushed again it resumes to the running position as if it were not stopped at all.
This function can also be achieved with an auto wind watch as well and is referred to as rattrapante. This is a very complicated function and can cost thousands of dollars. You have to ask your self what do you want out of your watch, value, prestige, acuraracy, looks, function, durability? I personally love automatic wind chronographs, and wear a Titanium Omega Seamaster. I use to wear a stainless quartz citizen eco-drive skyhawk chronograph, and it was a great watch, but I compair it like a fast and furious Honda civic vs a Porsche. The Honda may be just as fast, cost less money and be more reliable, but it just doesn't have the feel or soul the porsche does.

I probably have told you way more than you wanted, but actually haven't even scratched the surface.

In regards to some high quality watches that won't break the bank are: Zodiac, Sector, and Hamilton.

One more thing about Swiss watches. By Swiss law a watch that says Swiss or Swiss made must have the Movement and the case made in Switzerland. Further if it says Geneva it must be made in Geneva Switzerland. If the movement is Swiss but the case is made elsewhere, the dial can read Swiss Movement or Movt.